Fate Isn't Written in Stone
by Sailor Crystal
Summary: Ryoko: 3 and a half months after the fight with Galaxia, the Starlights come back for a long visit. But things are wrong in the city. Mamoru seems almost...evil A SeiyaUsagi fic. CH.12 FIXED!
1. Prologue

Ryoko: I'm typing this whole story. My friend and sister gave me permission too. Hope you like.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or the chars used.  
  
A/N: Please send all reviews to siamkitty01@yahoo.com. This is the author's e-mail. I'm just typing it for her.  
  
  
  
Fate Isn't Written in Stone  
  
  
  
Prologue  
  
  
  
Princess Kakyuu stood on a balcony on her magnificent palace looking up into the midnight blue star filled sky. There was a slight breeze, waving her hair and skirt.  
  
The palace behind her was huge, at the size of 6 mansions and built of solid white granite. At least, the exterior was. The interior was incased with white marble. It had four pairs of wings, each belonging to one of the Starlights. The fourth and larger pair of wings belonged to Princess Kakyuu. The main part was the servants' quarters with kitchen, dining room, etc.  
  
Below the Princess was a mirror-like pool that reflected the greenish tinged moon of Kinmoku (a big pool). Lillies and lotas' grew beside the edge leaving the inside clear. In the moonlight the 18 in Koi could be seen swimming in the clear water.  
  
Kakyyu heard footsteps behind her but did not turn to see their source. Only one of the Starlights would come out there, it was their private place.  
  
Fighter appeared at her side. "I'm sorry to disturb you Princess. I know you're busy with your decision..."  
  
"I have reached my decision," she replied.  
  
"You have?" She asked, a hint of excitement in her voice.  
  
"Yes. I was just thinking..."  
  
"Of what?"  
  
"Of how much I'll miss you three," Kakyuu finished.  
  
"You mean-we're allowed to go to Earth?"  
  
Kakyuu closed her eyes and let a teardrop fall down her cheek. "Yes." She whispered.  
  
"Will you be joining us?"  
  
Kakyuu looked up and smiled slightly. "No, not this time Seiya-chan," she replied quietly.  
  
"But, Princess-"  
  
"Seiya. Don't make this harder for me then it already is." She explained. She waved her hand in the direction of the vast courtyard across the pool. "Kinmoku is my home. I belong here-" she turned to Seiya- "I'm allowing you to go to Earth because I can see you three are unhappy here. Even though it has only been 3 and a half months since we returned. I can see you are the most unhappy Seiya.."  
  
She looked startled then dropped her gaze.  
  
"I know why you want to return to Earth." Kakyuu confessed. "I can see it in your eyes. You miss Usagi. If I was to keep you here you would probably die of a broken heart." She reached up and touched her cheek. "Don't worry about me. I'll still have my guards. And if you ever want to return..you are welcome to. Stay on Earth as long as you like. All I ask is that you sing with your hearts every month so I know you're alright."  
  
"Princess..." Fighter murmured. "I'll miss you." She looked about to cry.  
  
Kakyuu did too. "I shall miss you too Sailor Star Fighter." She hugged her and let her tears escape from her eyes. "Will you depart tomorrow?" She wept.  
  
Fighter nodded. "Yes." 


	2. Old Friends Return

Ryoko: Here's the next one.  
  
Disclimaer: I don't own SM, nor the chars used.  
  
A/N: Please send all reviews to siamkitty01@yahoo.com. This is the author's e-mail. I'm just typing it for her.  
  
  
  
Fate Isn't Written in Stone  
  
Chapter 1:  
  
Old Friends Return  
  
  
  
Usagi stood on her balcony looking up at the sky too. Her hair was down and she was wearing a pink bathrobe decorated with rabbits.  
  
"Taiki...Yaten..." she whispered. It was a long time before she murmured the last name. When she did, she pulled a bear keychain out of her pocket and let her tears dampen it.  
  
"...Seiya..."  
  
Luna watched Usagi's shoulders heave and heard one of her sobs from inside.  
  
'I don't understand,' she thought, 'As soon as Mamorugot back she stopped all crazy about him. Even more so when Seiya and them left. Now her grades are actually improving! But she's out there every other night. For the past 3 and a half months just to cry...And she always manages to work Seiya into every converstation. Could she love him?'  
  
Usagi walked inside a little while later and crawled into bed.  
  
"Are you alright Usagi?" Luna asked gently.  
  
"Yes." Came her muffles reply.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Positive?"  
  
Usagi sat up. "Yes Luna! For the last time-Yes!"  
  
*silence*  
  
Usagi sighed. "I'm sorry Luna. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm...trying to hang onto memories I guess..." She rolled over and was soon asleep.  
  
Usagi and Mamoru stood on a beach watching the sunset.  
  
"Usako," a voice whispered, not Mamoru, but someone else.  
  
She looked behind her and saw Seiya wearing his red tux.  
  
"Seiya!" Usagi cried and tried to run to him but was stopped. She took a step but didn't go forward. Quickly she spun around to see a manicle on her wrist connected to Mamoru, who held the key above his head.  
  
"Mamoru! Unlock this thing right now!"  
  
Mamoru had no facial expression. He was silent.  
  
"Unlock this!"  
  
"We are destined to be together," he responded, "We're to be together...forever."  
  
Usagi pressed her hands aganist her temples. "No! No!" she yelled. "I choose Seiya! I choose Seiya! Not you! Not you!"  
  
Usagi jerked up in bed gasping. She looked at her arms, no manicles. "Seiya..." she whispered, then, pressing her clenched fist aganist her forehead, she began to cry.  
  
*RIIIINNNNGGGG*  
  
Usagi sat up slowly and switched her alarm off. She sat there in bed thinking about the dream she had had.  
  
"You'd better hurry up Usagi. You don't want to be late for your date with Mamoru." Luna nagged jumping onto the bed.  
  
Usagi looked outside. She didn't want to see Mamoru today...she had a feeling she would miss something if she did. 'You're being silly' she told herself. 'What would you miss? Who cares about that dumb dream anyway? You do love Mamoru, not Seiya. Seiya's just a friend.'  
  
"I'm getting up Luna. I'm getting up."  
  
Later. At the Outer's hous.  
  
"Ok. I've called you all here to discuss someone." Luna announced to all the scouts. "Usagi."  
  
"What about her?" Haruka asked.  
  
"Yes. What's wrong with her?" Makoto asked.  
  
"Haven't you noticed how strange she's been acting lately?" Luna replied.  
  
"She's been a little quiet." Rei returned.  
  
"She's not quite as 'Mamo-crazy,'" Minako added.  
  
"I see nothing wrong. Her grades are actually pretty well." Ami put in.  
  
"Yes. But who does she talk about the most?"  
  
*silence*  
  
"Seiya," they all answered.  
  
Luna nodded. "Exactly.  
  
"And you're worried because...?" Rei asked.  
  
"I think she may love him."  
  
"What? Luna I think you've been eating to many shrimp tails," Hotaru exclaimed.  
  
"Come on everyone! Do you think Usagi would be able to realize sge was in love with him?"  
  
They shook thier heads.  
  
"I'm worried that she MAY realize she loves him and dump Mamoru," Luna explained. "Then the future would changed and-"  
  
"Chibi-Usa-chan!" Hotaru gasped.  
  
Luna nodded. "She would cease to exist."  
  
Hotaru turned to Setsuna. "We can't let her realize she love him! Chibi-Usa- chan..."  
  
Setsuna nodded. "I know Hotaru. I just don't understand how this could happen though. They loved each other back during the Silver Millenium, they should still love each other..."  
  
"Unless..." Minako started.  
  
"Unless what?" Michiru asked.  
  
"Unless what all of us have been told is wrong. If we've just been told they loved each other to cover up something...Unless they were never destined to be together..."  
  
"Could that be true, Setsuna-mama?" Hotaru asked.  
  
Setsuna looked thoughtful. "It could be...But why would Queen Serenity do such as to tell us lies?"  
  
"Maybe it was really horrible and she wanted to protect us from the thruth," Michiru suggested.  
  
"Should we check it out?" Ami asked.  
  
"It may be best to." Luna confessed.  
  
Usagi slowly dialed a number on her telephone then pressed it aganist her ear.  
  
*Ring...Ring...Ri-*  
  
"Chiba Mamoru," a voice said.  
  
"Hi Mamoru," Usagi returned quietly.  
  
"Oh hi Usako. Are you alright?"  
  
"Actually I'm not," she lied. "That's why I was calling. To postpone our date. I don't feel too well and I just want to stay in bed today."  
  
"We can postpone. But you know I'm going on that 2 week business trip and I'm working all the way up until then. I won't be able to see you for about 3 weeks."  
  
"I know," she whispered.  
  
"You really must be feeling bad Usako."  
  
"I am. I'm sorry Mamo-san."  
  
"It's alright. You just rest and I'll see you again in a couple of weeks.  
  
"Bye..."  
  
"Bye."  
  
Usagi hung the phone up, then picked up a book and the table and flipped it open. Inside it were pictures of her and her friends. She flipped towards the back of the book. One page was empty but the other had a picture of herself, Seiya, Taiki, Yaten, and all the Inners. It was her only photo of them both.  
  
"I look so happy..." She whispered. "Why am I so sad nowadays? Back then all you wanted was Mamoru...But when he returned..."  
  
She took out the picture, closed the book, and looked out onto her balcony. "I may get caught faking sick but I have to get outside," she said pulling an outfit off a hanger and putting the picture in the pocket.  
  
A few minutes later she bounded outside onto the sidewalk heading for the park. She was much happier outside. She was smiling and her eyes were brighter. She even started humming, though she didn't realize it was "Todokanu Omoi."  
  
A yellow sportscar pulled up beside her.  
  
"Kitten!" a voice called.  
  
Usagi turned and smiled at Haruka. "Hi Haruka-chan."  
  
"Wanna go for a ride Kitten?" she asked.  
  
Usagi nodded. "Sure."  
  
"Alright. Hop in."  
  
Usagi got in,making sure to buckle her seat belt. "Please don't go that fast Haruka," she requested.  
  
"What's the fun in that?" she asked smiling.  
  
Usagi smiled too. "Please don't go that fast," she repeated, a bit more nervously.  
  
Haruka smiled mischeviously then slammed her foot on the gas.  
  
"HARUKAAAAAAAAA!" she shrieked clutching the door handles as they tore down the streets.  
  
"What's wrong?" Haruka laughed slowing down.  
  
"You are cruel."  
  
She chuckled. "So how you been lately Usagi? I haven't really seen you around much."  
  
"I've...," she trailed off.  
  
"Didn't you have a date with Mamoru today?"  
  
Usagi's smile faded. "I didn't feel too well this morning so I was stupid enough to postpone it. Now though, I won't see him for 3 weeks."  
  
Haruka glanced at Usagi who was gazing out in front of her. Haruka smiled, "You're a terrible liar." She announced.  
  
Usagi spun around to look at her and blushed. "I-how?-wha?"  
  
"If you didn't feel good eailer this morning you wouldn't have been outside," she explained. "Tell me why didn't you want to go out on your date?"  
  
"Promise you won't laugh?"  
  
Haruka nodded.  
  
Usagi sighed. "I had a strange feeling this morning..."  
  
"What kind of feeling?"  
  
"I'm not sure..Like if I went with Mamoru I would miss something I wouldn't want to miss.."  
  
"I don't know what you could miss.." Haruka remarked.  
  
Usagi nodded. "I know. And now I feel really stupid for fdoing that."  
  
They were quiet for a moment then Haruka spoke up. "It's lunchtime. You want to go get something to eat? Then maybe just cruise around?"  
  
"Sure!"  
  
"Just don't eat me broke," she replied.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Just kidding."  
  
"Slow down Haruka-san," Usagi pleaded holding the door handle tightly again.  
  
"Just another mile."  
  
"Augghhhhhhh!!" Usagi shrieked as they turned a tight corner. The night wind suddenly caught the picture in her pocket and blew it out of the car.  
  
Usagi gasped. "STOP!" She holloered.  
  
Haruka slammed on the brakes and they came skidding to a stop. "What's wrong?" she gasped.  
  
"My picture," Usagi replied jumping out of the car and hurring down the sidewalk.  
  
Haruka watched Usagi run down the sidewalk then sighed. "A picture," she muttered and climed out of the car after her.  
  
The picture caught Usagi's eye. It was stuck in a crack in the middle of the road. Usagi looked both way then dashed into the street. "Gotcha!" she declared grabbing the picture and shoving it into her pocket. Usagi heard a loud honk and turned, looking right into the headlights of a big semi like a deer caught in the road. She gasped but stood still.  
  
"Kitten!" she heard Haruka yell.  
  
Just as the truck was about to squish her a figure ran up and knocked them both out of the way. They both rolled over each as the truck screamed by.  
  
"Ah!" Usagi cried as her head hit the opposite sidewalk that Haruka stood on. She heard heavy breathing and rolled over to see who had saved her. Slowly her vision cleared. "Seiya..?" she whispered.  
  
He was smiling on his hands and knees over her, his hair falling over his shoulder and brushing aganist Usagi's face. "Hi Usako," he gasped back.  
  
Usagi gasped back and fainted.  
  
"Kitten!" Haruka yelled sprinting across the street.  
  
"Seiya!" a voice called.  
  
Haruka looked behind her and saw Yaten and Taiki behind her. 'Oh no,' she thought. 'They're back.'  
  
Seiya picked up Usagi as Haruka stopped beside them.  
  
"Let me have her." Haruka ordered. Seiya handed Usagi to her. She felt something wet on her arm and saw it was smeared with blood. She looked at Seiya. "Is this..?"  
  
He shook his head and held up his arm which was soaked with blood.  
  
"Seiya! Are you alright?" Taiki asked.  
  
He nodded.  
  
"No he isn't Taiki," Yaten pointed out. "He has a big ol' gash in his arm and forehead."  
  
"You three had best come with me to the hospital," Haruka suggested. "You'll need stiches." She said looking at Seiya. "Please don't drip all over my car."  
  
"Is Usako alright?" he asked as they walked over to the car.  
  
"She should be," Haruka replied. "I'm just worried she might have gotten a small concusion cracking her head on the sidewalk."  
  
"Is that possible?" he asked as they came to the car.  
  
Taiki spoke up. "Give the amount of momentum you two created, yes."  
  
Haruka sat Usagi in the front seat, then opened the trunk and pulled out an oil stained rag. She tossed it to Seiya. "It looks filthy but it's clean. Wrap your arm tight in it."  
  
Seiya nodded and did so before the sped off to the hospital. 


	3. The Reunion

Ryoko: The long awaited next chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own SM, nor the chars used.  
  
  
  
Fate Isn't Written in Stone  
  
Chapter 2: The Reunion  
  
  
  
Usagi opened her eyes slowly. Her vision was blurred but in a moment it cleared. Sunlight streamed into an unfamiliar room that smelled of alcohol and latex. She began to remember what had happened the previous night. The ride with Haruka, the picture, the truck... and Seiya! Was he really there or did she imagine him?  
  
She slowly sat up but immediately laid back down. Her head felt like it had split in two and was glued back together. She could feel a large lump throbbing on the back of her head about 2in. away from where her right odango would have been if her hair weren't down.  
  
Usagi looked to her right in the bed next to hers. The sheets were wrinkled, evidence that someone had recently slept there. Two chairs were at the end. "I must be in a hospital." Usagi remarked.  
  
She heard a door open and close and Haruka appeared at the end of her bed.  
  
"Haruka-kun!"  
  
Haruka smiled. "How are ya feelin' Kitten?"  
  
"My head hurts," she whined.  
  
Haruka chuckled. "It should. You took a big crack on the head after that truck almost killed you."  
  
"Haruka...I thought I saw..."  
  
Haruka rolled her eyes. "You did," she replied. "They're back. All of them."  
  
"Really?!" she squealed sitting up.  
  
Haruka jumped back ^_^;"Uhh...yeah."  
  
"Where are they?!" Usagi gasped jumping out of bed. She blushed when she saw what she was wearing. One of those ugly hospital pants and shirts. "This is just wrong," she muttered.  
  
"Eh-he. I know." Haruka returned ^_^;, "Anyways. Those three are down at the cafeteria. They'll be happy to know you're awake." She pointed to the other bed. "Seiya had to get stitches but since he was pretty banged up they decided to keep him for a night. I think he dislocated his wrist too."  
  
"Poor Seiya-kun." Usagi sighed.  
  
"'Kun'? Already?"  
  
Usagi looked at Haruka. "Take me to him-I mean them."  
  
Haruka held out her hand and Usagi took it. "They kept you overnight because you had a tiny concussion and was banged up too," Haruka explained as they slowly walked down the hall (Usagi was wearing slippers provided). "You got a nasty bruise right here." She added pulling down one of Usagi's sleeves to reveal the tennis ball sized thing beside her right collarbone. Usagi winced as Haruka's fingertips brushed against it.  
  
"Uh...Haruka-san, don't you think Michiru-san will be worried about you?"  
  
"No. I called her and she called Mamoru and everyone," Haruka replied.  
  
"She-She didn't tell-" She gasped.  
  
"No," Haruka answered. "I told her the true story but made her promise not to tell anyone else the truth. She'll keep it a secret."  
  
Usagi nodded, then looked down at the ugly gown. "Say Haruka-san. Where are my normal clothes?"  
  
"They're sitting on a chair back in your room."  
  
"Thank goodness."  
  
Haruka smiled and pulled open a door. "Here we are," she announced.  
  
Usagi scanned the room and almost as if she had radar- managed to locate the Starlights sitting in a quiet corner. Actually, the cafeteria wasn't really crowded. Only about 20 other people were there.  
  
"Yaten...Taiki..." she murmured watching them smile. She saw Seyia smile then grinned. "Seiya!" she cried. She noticed he was back in his regular clothes.  
  
He heard someone call his name and turned expecting to see a 3Lights fan. His jaw dropped, but smiled soon afterward. "Usako!" he called back standing up and taking a step towards her.  
  
Usagi let go of Haruka's hand-still smiling- and ran to Seiya.  
  
He just held her for a moment. 'This isn't like before.' he thought. 'I've never seen her so happy to see me. Do you think...?'  
  
She looked up at him and he was surprised to see she was crying.  
  
"What's wrong Usako?" he asked, gently wiping away her tears with his index finger.  
  
"I'm just so happy to see you again." she wept smiling. She buried her face in his chest (blush). "I missed you all a lot." she said. "But I missed you the most Seiya-kun."  
  
Seiya's cheeks turned pink. "I missed you too Odango." he whispered.  
  
Usagi clutched his shirt, her heart racing as she waited.  
  
"....I missed you more than anything."  
  
She smiled and drew back. "You could've DIED last night. You shouldn't have hurt yourself trying to save me," she scorned.  
  
"But you've died," Seiya returned.  
  
"I," Usagi boasted. "Have the power of the Imperuim Silver Crystal. You, oh dear alien friend, do not."  
  
"I don't think the power of your crystal would have been able to defeat such a powerful enemy as a semi!" Seiya returned. They both laughed as they walked over to the table where Taiki and Yaten were waiting.  
  
Haruka smiled from the doorway. 'She just may..." she thought. 'I know it's wrong for me to say so, but in a way, I think Seiya's a bit better for Usagi. Though she mustn't realize it. At least she's happy now...I haven't seen her so happy for a long time...Still....I don't think Seiya should flirt with her so...'  
  
"Haruka-san!" Usagi's voice shattered her thoughts. "Come on over Haruka- san!"  
  
Haruka smiled and walked towards the table.  
  
"Anything yet Rei-chan?" Ami asked watching Rei stare into the fire.  
  
"No," she answered.  
  
"What exactly is she looking for?" Makoto asked. She had arrived a little late.  
  
"Rei-chan's felt a strange energy around the city for the past month and is trying to find its source. It's been getting stronger she says." Minako replied.  
  
"Ohhhh."  
  
Rei stared into the fire. She could almost see someone. Right now it was just a blur. But their eyes, she could see them clearly. They looked like they had once been kind and loving but not they were evil. Pure blue evil.  
  
The figure sharpened so Rei could easily see its outline. It was a man, slowly walking holding a jacket or something over his shoulder. His eyes were unblinking, murderous looking. Like he wanted to kill someone.  
  
There was something in his other hand. Rei tried to see it. Slowly she was able to make it out, it was a thorny flower. She could tell it was thorny because she could see blood streaming out of his clenched fist, but he didn't seem to notice.  
  
Rei could see herself standing in the fire the figure walking but not coming any closer. "Who are you?" she saw herself cry.  
  
The figure just kept walking.  
  
"I demand to know who you are!"  
  
The figure stopped and dropped the blood-covered-flower. He smiled evilly and chuckled even more evilly then faded away. Rei looked down at the floor and gasped. It was a blood covered black rose.  
  
Rei gasped, back in front of the fire, her hands trembling uncontrollably.  
  
"Rei-chan?" Minako asked walking up to her friend. "Rei-chan are you alright?"  
  
She spun Rei around and nearly gasped at her friends' eyes. She had never seen them more fearfilled. "Rei-chan?"  
  
Rei was gasping for air. She swallowed and whispered hoarsely "I'm alright."  
  
Minako sighed in relief.  
  
"What did you see?" Mako asked.  
  
"Not what, who." Rei returned.  
  
"You saw someone?" Ami inquired.  
  
Rei nodded. "Yes."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"I'm not sure.," she replied. It was a lie, she knew who it was. She just didn't want to them without reading the fire again. "All I know is that it was an evil man."  
  
The others looked confused.  
  
Rei wanted to tell, but she couldn't get it out. How could she tell them that the evil man she had seen in the fire was Mamoru?  
  
Usagi, Seiya, Yaten, Haruka and Taiki walked out of the hospital doors.  
  
"Taiki and I are going to find a furniture store and see about getting a few more things for the apartment," Yaten announced walking down the sidewalk, Taiki following.  
  
"See ya!" Seiya and Usagi called.  
  
Haruka turned to Usagi and Seiya. "I had better be getting home too," she walking up the sidewalk in another direction. "Hang on to that picture Kitten! So far it's caused only trouble," she called.  
  
"Picture?" Seiya asked.  
  
Usagi pulled the photo out of her pocket and let Seiya take it. "It flew out of the car last night," she explained. "That's why I was in the road. Though I think it's a good luck charm in a way. You appeared when I needed you most. You don't know how much I've missed you."  
  
Seiya leaned down to kiss her.  
  
"Usako!" a voice called.  
  
Seiya jerked up and saw Mamoru running towards them. 'Damn.' he thought.  
  
Usagi saw him and smiled. "Mamoru-san!"  
  
He hugged her. "I'm so glad you're alright Odango."  
  
Usagi drew back. "I wouldn't have been if Seiya-kun hadn't saved me."  
  
Mamoru looked over Usagi's head and saw Seiya who has raised an eyebrow at the scene.  
  
"Oh. Thank you Seiya," he said half-heartedly.  
  
"I'm sure you would've done the same Mamoru-san." Seiya remarked.  
  
Mamoru just looked down at Usagi. "I should take you home Usako-" he started.  
  
Seiya's mouth opened as he was about to say some really nasty 4-letter words but luckily Usagi beat him to it. Only without the 4 letter words.  
  
"That's alright Mamo-san," Usagi smiled. She looked behind her at Seiya. "Seiya and I were going to go to the park and tell each other what's been happening the last few months."  
  
Seiya smiled at Usagi.  
  
"I'd like to hear what's been happening with his planet too. I think I'll come along."  
  
Seiya's jaw dropped. "Mamoru..." Usagi whined. "This is going to be Seiya- me time."  
  
Mamoru blinked. "Are you saying you don't want me along?"  
  
"If you're small brain can register it, yes." Seiya muttered to himself. Usagi nodded.  
  
"Just this once-"  
  
Mamoru let go of her and stamped off. "Be that way Usagi!" he yelled. "First you cancel our date now you go off with him!" He got into his car and sped off, tires squealing.  
  
"Mamo-san." Seiya put an arm on her shoulder. "I-  
  
"Owwwwwwwiieeeee!!" she shrieked pulling away from him.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"My bruise...," she whined pulling down her sleeve to show him.  
  
"Sorry Odango," he replied.  
  
"It's okay Seiya." she sighed. "What were you saying?"  
  
"I was saying that Mamoru's probably stressed out. From what Haruka told me last night, he seems to have a lot to do. Don't take it seriously..." he instructed.  
  
"What did Haruka-san tell you?"  
  
Seiya shrugged. "Can't remember much since I had just had someone sew me up with 32 stitches but she said he was going on a business trip in about a week and was working all the way up till then."  
  
Usagi nodded. "Yeah." she sighed. "I'll miss him. Even though it's for only 2 weeks."  
  
Seiya nodded too. 'I should have known...' he thought. 'She still loves him...'  
  
They were quiet for a moment just looking at each other. Then Seiya started laughing.  
  
"What?"  
  
He shook his head but replied, "Just the way you looked when I touched your bruise."  
  
"Well I would a loved to see your face when they were sewing you up. Haruka said it was priceless."  
  
"You would have cried too if they stuck a needle in your arm before it was all the way numb." He pulled up his sleeve and showed her his stitches.  
  
Usagi leaned over them and poked one hard.  
  
Seiya's eyes watered up and he bit his bottom lip.  
  
Usagi smiled then linked her arm through his. "Let's get going!" she cried as they slowly walked down the sidewalk.  
  
"It's apparent," Haruka announced sitting down in a chair at their house. "She loves him and she doesn't even know it."  
  
Hotaru glanced up at her. "Well at least she doesn't know."  
  
"Yet." Haruka added. "The way they were when she saw him this morning, it won't be long." She looked at Setsuna. "Have we decided to go back to the past?"  
  
Setsuna nodded. "We're going. Even the Starlights have to come. We'll go in a few days. It's just..."  
  
"Just what?" Michiru asked.  
  
Setsuna sighed. "There is a legend..." she began. "That says the passageway of time that leads to the Earth moon is protected by a fierce guardian born of the moon itself. That if trespassers do not permission from Queen Serenity herself they will meet a terrible fate by the guardian."  
  
"What is the guardian?" Michiru asked.  
  
Setsuna shrugged. "No one knows. A creature, a human with extraordinary powers-who knows. All I know is that he guards the doors to the different eras on the Moon Kingdom and that he, she, it, is powerful."  
  
"This is a bit off subject," Hotaru spoke up. "But do the Inners know the Starlights are here?"  
  
"A bit?" Haruka mumbled looking at Michiru, who shook her head.  
  
"Nope," she answered. "Didn't tell em. They'll find out soon. I told Mamoru though."  
  
Setsuna stood and went to the window. "Very soon."  
  
"So what all's been happening on Kinmoku?" Usagi asked as they sat down on a bench in the park.  
  
"Not much." he replied. "We enjoyed being home but we were actually homesick for Earth. Princess Kakyuu allowed us to stay here as long as we want. I wasn't sure if I would ever go back but I know I'm going to." He looked up into the evening sky.  
  
Usagi looked sadly up at him. "Not for a few weeks more?"  
  
He looked down at her. "Huh?" Then he smiled. "Not for a long time Odango. Not for 6 months in the least. We won't be leaving for a long time..."  
  
Usagi smiled and looked down.  
  
"So, what's happening here?" he asked. "Any other singers wash away our memories?"  
  
"In less than 4 months? Never!" Usagi returned. "I still hear people humming "Nagaraboshi He" when I walk down the street. They made all sorts of merchandise of you guys. Notebooks, bed sheets, wallets, even dolls!"  
  
"They made a doll of me?" he inquired.  
  
"Yeah. They also had this huge search for you since you disappeared without a trace."  
  
"So we're as popular as before?"  
  
"Even more so. Your disappearing act gave you a perfect 10."  
  
They sat in silence for a few seconds. Then... "Oh! Usagi, I have something for her..." he announced digging in his pocket. He pulled out a ring case and handed it to her.  
  
Usagi looked at it then looked at Seiya. "But I-"  
  
"It's not that kind of ring. It's a...friendship ring." he explained. "Go on, open it."  
  
Slowly Usagi did so and gasped at it. It was a pure gold with the outline of a 5-pointed flower. The petals were filled with rubies, the center with a sparkling diamond, and the leave with emeralds. Two aquamarines were set in the band on the sides.  
  
"Oh my god...How could you afford this?" she gasped. "I can tell all the gems are real."  
  
Seiya smiled. "I didn't have to pay anything for it. I got it on Kinmoku and it had made for you by a friend of mine. He didn't make me pay a cent because the gems are more plentiful there and not quite so here." He slipped it onto one of her fingers. "The diamond is said to posses a special power."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"It's survived the last 1000 years on our planet. It once belonged to Princess Kakyuu's... 30 time great grandmother. Queen Kimokyusie."  
  
Usagi grinned. "Thank you, Seiya." And with that she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
He blushed. 


	4. Seiya's Nightmare

Ryoko: Sorry for the long wait! Sorry Vela-chan. I broke my promise.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, nor the chars used.  
  
  
  
Fate Isn't Written in Stone  
  
Chapter 3: Seiya's Nightmare  
  
  
  
Usagi and Seiya stood in front of the Tsukino house. They had talked some more then Seiya had walked her home.  
  
Usagi looked in Seiya's eyes. She couldn't figure it out, but she had a feeling she had seen them when she had visited the future with Mamoru and the Inners to defeat the Black Moon. If there was one thing she loved more than anything about Seiya- besides his personality- it was his eyes. They pulled her in and were filled with emotions she could read. Right now, they were filled with comfort and caring.  
  
"Goodnight, Seiya-kun," she whispered.  
  
He took her hand and kisses it gently then held it. "Want to go for ice cream tomorrow?" he asked.  
  
Usagi nodded. "Tomorrow. I'll call you so we can arrange a time."  
  
Seiya smiled. "Alright." He leaned down to kiss her but Usagi put a finger over his lips to stop him. He opened his eyes and looked confused.  
  
Usagi smiled. "Mamoru-san." she reminded.  
  
Seiya sighed and kind of groaned in exasperation.  
  
Usagi smiled and kissed his right cheek, left cheek then pressed her left cheek against his left one. 'I wish I could Seiya-kun. Sometimes I really wish I could.' She thought. 'But Chibi-Usa chan must survive. I can't kill her.' A tear fell from her eye and fell onto their clasped hands.  
  
Usagi felt another tear splash onto their hands. She realized with a start Seiya was crying. Her face fell. 'I'm sorry Seiya-kun. I don't want to hurt you.' Usagi drew back and let her hands fall to her sides.  
  
"Goodnight Seiya-kun." She repeated her hand on the doorknob.  
  
"Goodnight, Odango Atama." He whispered then turned and walked into the night.  
  
Luna watched from her parents' balcony. 'I don't like this at all,' she thought. 'Not one bit.' She heard the door open and close and raced into Usagi's room. 'His love for her is making him bolder, and her love for him is marking her bolder. The sooner we visit the past the better.'  
  
Seiya slowly opened the door to their apartment. The scanned the living room with a quickness. 2 chairs, a clear glass table, a small couch and a smaller table with a lamp and phone on it. Pale blue carpeting and a TV.  
  
Yaten and Taiki's face suddenly appeared in front of his.  
  
"How'd it go Mr. Cool?" Taiki inquired.  
  
"Yeah! Did ya kiss her?!" Yaten gasped.  
  
"You didn't meet Mamoru-san did you?"  
  
"You gave her the ring?"  
  
"Did you meet Mamoru-san?"  
  
"Did you hold her hand or anything romantic?"  
  
"Taiki," Seiya began, "It went fine, we just talked. I met Mamoru-san, he was mad because Usagi wanted to talk with me alone and without him.  
  
"Yaten, yes I gave her the ring. Yes we held hands but only when we were saying goodnight-"  
  
"Did ya kiss her?!" He asked again.  
  
Seiya blushed slightly.  
  
"You did! You did kiss her didn't you?!"  
  
Seiya shook his head. "Not on the lips and I was never the one to do it. She kissed me goodnight on both of my cheeks."  
  
Yaten started snickering.  
  
"Huh?" A moment later he slapped Yaten up side the head and he fell to the ground. "Not those cheeks you perv!"  
  
Taiki looked at Yaten. He had @ @ eyes. "You hit him pretty hard," he said watching drool come out of his open mouth. "He dissevered it though," he added.  
  
Seiya nodded then walked towards his room. "I'm going to bed," he announced. "See you two in the morning."  
  
"I don't think Yaten can hear you!" Taiki called prodding Yaten with his foot.  
  
Seiya sighed. "I don't get girls.First they hate you, then they accept you, then they start to like you but don't want to dump their jerky boyfriends."  
  
He sighed again as he crawled into his bed. "She almost kissed me.expect she would have felt guilty because of Mamoru." He drifted off into sleep.  
  
He was standing by the bay, a cold evening wind blowing. He heard giggling and spun around. "I'll find you Usako!" he called walking around and looking behind stacks of crates. He saw a flash of blonde hair, giggling and quick steps. Silently and quickly he followed her, hearing her steps quicken as he drew closer. Finally he heard her give a squeal of excitement and she started running. It wasn't long before he managed to catch up to her in the maze of crates. "Gotcha!" he cried grabbing her hand (nicely). She turned and smiled at him.  
  
"Drat," she said. "Less than two minutes."  
  
"If you would keep quiet and stand still I wouldn't find you so easily," he laughed as they walked hand in hand out of the crate maze.  
  
Usagi leaned her head on his shoulder as they come to the piers edge, then raised it and turned to him.  
  
Just as they were about to kiss some invisible force pulled her away from him. "Seiya!" she gasped as she was pulled another few feet away from him.  
  
He lunged for her but she was pulled away again. To his horror, as she shrieked, she was pulled quickly around a corner. "Seiya!" she yelled. Just as he was about to go after her he heard a chuckle followed by a cry of pain and a figure appeared on top of the 3-story warehouse to his right.  
  
The figure had one arm around her neck, the other pinned her arms to her sides.  
  
"Help me Seiya!" Usagi cried.  
  
Seiya tried to move but he couldn't, his legs were frozen. "I can't move Usagi!"  
  
It was then the figure stepped out of the shadow making a hatred boil up inside Seiya. It was Mamoru.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?!" he yelled.  
  
Mamoru rose up in the air 200 feet above the warehouse then levitated to be in front of it.  
  
"What are you doing? You're suppose to love her!"  
  
"We are destined to be together." Mamoru called back emotionlessly. "She chooses you instead."  
  
"So what? It's her choice."  
  
"We are destined to be together." Mamoru repeated. "We're to be together.forever."  
  
"No!" Usagi cried. "I don't choose you! I choose Seiya! Seiya!"  
  
Mamoru put down the hand that was around her neck and ripped off her broach. "You can't transform on your fall now." He whispered to her emotionlessly.  
  
"If I can't have her, no one will," he called. He let go of Usagi.  
  
Seiya suddenly found that his legs could move and he dashed to where Usagi would (hopefully) land. 'I'm not going to make it.' He thought. 'She's falling to fast.'  
  
Just as Usagi was about to shatter onto the concrete, an abyss opened up. Seiya dove to its edge and managed to grab her arm.  
  
"Usako," he whispered looking down at her.  
  
"I love you Seiya," she whispered up to him.  
  
"I love you t-" he stopped and screamed as a pain ripped into his side. Still managing to hold onto Usagi he looked and saw a black rose embedded in his flesh. Seiya looked up and saw Mamoru on the other side of the abyss. He held another rose in his hand.  
  
"Die." Seiya heard him mutter as he threw the other rose straight as his heart.  
  
He (Seiya) screamed and slumped over but still managed to hold onto Usagi as blood dripped out of him.  
  
Mamoru levitated over the abyss and snapped his fingers. Usagi rose up and was set on its edge, tears streaming down her face as Seiya lay nearly dead.  
  
Mamoru hovered over to Seiya and chuckled. Seiya lifted his head weakly. Mamoru smiled then kicked Seiya into the abyss.  
  
"No!" Usagi screamed and threw herself in after him.  
  
Seiya reached his hand up to Usagi as blackness surrounded them. 'I'm dying.' He thought. He felt Usagi grasp his hand and whispered his last sentence. "I love you too, Usagi."  
  
Seiya sat up in bed gasping for air, his body clammy and his sheets twisted. "Oh my god." He gasped sitting on the bed's edge. His hands were trembling and he was surprised when he felt hot tears roll down his face. "It was just a dream," he murmured. "Just a dream."  
  
He looked at his clock; 4:06. He had set his alarm for 8:00 but he would probably never get back to sleep. Seiya sighed and stood up. Maybe he'd watch TV for a while.  
  
Luna watched Usagi sleep. It was 3 hours later and sunlight was creeping into her room.  
  
Usagi rolled over. "Oh Seiya." she murmured.  
  
Luna sort of growled then something caught her eye. It was the ring that Seiya had had given her, Usagi had forgotten to take it off.  
  
Luna eyed it. "I can't believe he would give her that. Those are high quality gems! I've never seen anything better. Mamoru-san's was high quality but not anything like this. Seiya's make his look cheap!"  
  
Usagi rolled over again, her ring catching the sunlight and sending rainbow prisms all over the room. Usagi stirred and opened her eyes. She blinked. "Luna what's happening?" she asked seeing the prisms.  
  
"It's your ring." Luna snipped and jumped off the bed. "From Seiya." She walked out of the room.  
  
Usagi sat up moving her hand and making the prisms disappear. "Luna?" She whispered. "Why do you hate him so?" She looked at her ring. 'I want to talk to him.' She thought. 'He's probably still asleep.but what's the worst that can happen? Yaten answering the phone.'  
  
She picked up the phone and dialed his number.  
  
"Seiya Kou here."  
  
"Oh you're awake! I wasn't sure if you'd be or not."  
  
"Couldn't wait to see me could you Usako?"  
  
Usagi blushed. "How long have you been up?" she asked changing the subject. "You sound fully awake."  
  
"I've been up since four. Bad dreams."  
  
"Really? I had a bad dream the night before we were in the hospital."  
  
"If I may ask-what was it about?"  
  
"Well," she began. "Mamo-chan and I were on the beach during a sunset. I.I heard you whisper my name.and you were a few feet behind me. I tried to run to you but I was chained to Mamo-chan. He wouldn't unlock the chains. He said.something."  
  
"Do you remember what he said exactly?" Seiya prompted.  
  
Usagi chuckled. "What do you want to know so badly? Are you a dream expert?"  
  
"Please, answer my question and I'll answer yours."  
  
Usagi smiled. "He said 'We're destined to be together.we're to be together.forever.' Why?"  
  
Seiya was silent.  
  
"Seiya?"  
  
He spoke up. "Can you meet me at the Crown restaurant in twenty minutes?"  
  
Usagi looked at her clock. "Yes. Meet you there."  
  
"Alright. Bye."  
  
"Bye." Usagi returned and hung up the phone. She looked at her ring. "What's wrong.Seiya-kun?" she whispered then stepped out of bed.  
  
Rei sat in front of the fire concentrating on trying to see the evil Mamoru again.  
  
Again she saw herself in the fire. "Show yourself Mamoru!" she yelled. She waited for him to appear. He didn't. "Show yourself!"  
  
She heard his chuckle and spun around. 'Don't be frightened.' She told herself. 'Don't let him sense your fear of him.' She turned behind her and saw him, still shadowy and only his eyes being distinguishable, clutching another rose in his hand.  
  
"Afraid to step into light Mamoru?" she challenged.  
  
Mamoru was still for a moment then he moved forward, out of the shadows. "No," he sneered.  
  
"What is it that you want?"  
  
"To rid the world of my challenger."  
  
"Your challenger?!"  
  
"The one who could make my pyramid of plans tumble and fall."  
  
"What plans?"  
  
"My plans to be ruler."  
  
"What do you-"  
  
"Silence!" Mamoru bellowed. "You have inquired too much." He raised the rose he clenched in his hand. "You know too much. You won't see me again." Mamoru threw the rose and just as it was about to stab her a voice called her out of her trance.  
  
"Rei-chan!"  
  
Rei looked at the doorway. Makoto, Minako, and Ami stood there. Minako and Ami looked frantic, excited wasn't enough to describe how Mako looked.  
  
"It's seven-thirty." Rei snarled. "And you're interrupting my fire reading!"  
  
Minako ran to Rei, grabbed her collar, and shook her. "This is more important Rei-chan!" Minako shrieked.  
  
@ @ "It'd better be," Rei moaned.  
  
"You won't believe this!" Minako gasped. "Usagi-chan called me this morning to talk to me. She said she had to go meet someone and I asked who and she replied 'Seiya!' She spit this out in a rush. And then I asked her if she was feeling alright and she said yes they're all here!"  
  
Rei moaned since Minako was shaking her the entire time.  
  
Minako pressed her forehead against Rei's. "DID YOU HEAR ME?! THEY'RE BACK! THE STARLIGHTS ARE BACK!!"  
  
Ami clasped her together, got all starry-eyed and drooled slightly. "Taiki." she murmured. "O rose, thou art sick..." she recited.  
  
Minako dropped Rei and did the same as Ami. "Yaten." she murmured. ".All the milk seems to melt away."  
  
Makoto imitated them both. "Three Lights.Answer me gently."  
  
Ami and Minako narrowed their eyes at her. "Don't you dare go near Yaten and Taiki!" they both shouted.  
  
@ @ "Don't you dare let my hair catch on fire." Rei moaned.  
  
Hotaru looked up at Setsuna over her cereal. "Setsuna-mama?"  
  
"Yes?" she replied looking at Hotaru over her book.  
  
"I have a funny feeling that.we should go to the past tomorrow."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Hotaru shrugged. "I have a feeling that if we find out what's making Usagi love Seiya instead of Mamoru the sooner the better it will be for us than if we wait until later."  
  
Setsuna was quiet. She wanted Mamoru out of town before they went but if Hotaru had the same feeling Michiru had last night.  
  
'Whatever is making Usagi love Seiya is getting stronger.' Setsuna recalled her saying. 'We should find out why soon.'  
  
Setsuna nodded. "I guess that would be all right."  
  
"Me too," a voice said.  
  
Setsuna calmly replied, "Good morning Haruka-chan, Michiru-chan," without turning. When one was up the other was too. Michiru was the one that had spoken.  
  
Haruka sat next to Hotaru who asked, "Aren't you afraid of the Guardian, Hakura-baka?"  
  
"Why should I be? It'll probably turn out to be a little old' youma that be defeated."  
  
"Do you think?"  
  
Haruka nodded. "It seems like it."  
  
"I'll go call the senshi," Michiru announced. "Should I call the Starlights too?"  
  
Hotaru looked at Haruka who looked at Setsuna.  
  
Setsuna nodded. "Seiya should come. Usagi too."  
  
"Mamoru?" Michiru asked.  
  
"No." Setsuna replied. "If Queen Serenity lied.and he didn't really love Usagi."  
  
"I'll tell the Inners not to mention it to him." Michiru said. "I'll tell the Lights, too. Though I doubt that'd say anything anyway."  
  
Setsuna smiled. "Seiya would be the most likely to say anything to Mamoru. 


	5. Yaten's Apparition

Ryoko: Hiya everyone. This is dedicated to all the wonderful reviewers. It makes both Vela-chan and me happy.  
  
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon doesn't belong to me. The characters used in the story also do not belong to me. All credits go to Vela-chan.  
  
  
  
Fate Isn't Written in Stone  
  
Chapter 4: Yaten's Apparition  
  
  
  
"Why did you want to talk so early Seiya-kun?" Usagi asked as they sat down in the nearly empty restaurant.  
  
"I wanted to talk to you about my dream," he replied.  
  
Usagi looked at Seiya. He was pale, from fear. "You're really hung up." She whispered. "Tell me about it."  
  
Seiya described everything that happened in his dream. The game they played, how they almost kissed, Mamoru dropping Usagi, the abyss, the roses, and how he died falling in the abyss holding Usagi's hand.  
  
Usagi was quiet then she spoke up. "Mamo-chan said the same thing in both our dreams. In my dream he tried to keep us apart and succeeded. In your dream, he didn't-well not really. We both ended up dying. I wonder what it all means.?"  
  
"Has.Has Mamoru been any different lately?" Seiya asked cautiously.  
  
Usagi sighed. "He's kept more to himself.and when I see him he seems a bit cold.But-like you said-he's probably just under a lot of stress."  
  
Seiya stared at Usagi quietly. "Do you want to go for a walk Odango?"  
  
She nodded and they silently walked out of the restaurant.  
  
They walked to the park. Seiya looked at Usagi. He noticed her hands were quivering and took one in his own.  
  
"It was just a dream Odango." he whispered.  
  
Usagi looked up at him tears leaking out of her eyes. "I can't help but think they mean something Seiya-kun. King Endymion of the future sent Mamoru and I dreams that meant something. Maybe they want us to stay away from each other."  
  
"But why is Mamoru-san the villain in them?"  
  
Usagi's whole body started to shake. "I don't know," she wept. "But I have a feeling that if we're together something bad will happen."  
  
"What could possibly happen? The earth isn't going to blow up if we talk to each other."  
  
"But what if something does happen?"  
  
"But if they're telling us we're supposed to be together? And that Mamoru- san is just jealous?"  
  
Usagi was quiet for a moment. "I don't know what's right and what's wrong anymore Seiya-kun." she whispered wrapping her arms around him. She looked up at him.  
  
"Seiya stroked her cheek affectionately. "You don't?"  
  
Usagi glanced down. "Not lately."  
  
Seiya smiled. "So whatever you do you can't tell if it's right or wrong?"  
  
"With decisions.yes."  
  
"Good," he whispered. He leaned down and kissed her gently.  
  
At first Usagi looked shocked but then she kissed Seiya back only it was a longer, more emotion filled kiss. (You can bet Seiya enjoyed it!)  
  
Seiya smiled as she drew back. "Usako."  
  
Usagi suddenly looked horrified. She unroped her arms from him and started hyperventilating. "Oh my god!" She gasped. "I kissed you."  
  
Seiya nodded slowly. "Yeah."  
  
"But Mamo-chan! Do you know what could happen just from me kissing you?!" She didn't want for him to reply. "I could have put Chibi-Usa-chan's entire life in jeopardy! Oh god," she whimpered. She looked up at Seiya. "I'm sorry Seiya0kun.for leading you on like that. I.I love Mamoru!"  
  
With that she turned and ran from him.  
  
"Odango wait."  
  
'I'm sorry Seiya,' she thought weeping as she ran. 'I lied. I love you and Mamo-chan both, but I couldn't live without Chibi-Usa-chan.'  
  
Usagi found herself outside the park running down the sidewalk.  
  
"Kitten?"  
  
Usagi stopped. Haruka sat parked in her car. "I thought I might find you here." She noticed Usagi was crying and she jumped out of her car, ran to Usagi and held her as sobs racked her body.  
  
"Kitten what's wrong? Did he hurt you? What happened?"  
  
Usagi shook her head. "He didn't hurt me. It wasn't his fault.it was mine."  
  
Haruka sighed and gently pulled her to her car. "Tell me. Then I need to talk to you."  
  
As Usagi got in the car she told Haruka how they had come to the park leaving out all the talk about their dreams- how he had gently kissed her and how she had kissed him without thinking.  
  
".And now I'm afraid something might happen to Chibi-Usa."  
  
"I don't think anything did."  
  
"Why not?" Usagi whispered.  
  
"Because Setsuna-chan would have felt it and she would have contacted me."  
  
They drove in silence for a few minutes as Usagi stopped crying.  
  
"What did you want to talk to me about Haruka-san?" she asked quietly.  
  
Haruka was thoughtful for a moment not sure if she wanted to tell Usagi the truth. She decided it would be best to do so.  
  
".So tomorrow we're going back to the past," she concluded.  
  
"Let me get this straight. We're going back to the past because you think I love Seiya instead of Mamo-chan and Rei-chan saw an evil Mamo-chan in the fire?"  
  
Haruka nodded. "And from what Taiki told me on the phone today."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Taiki met Mamoru-san today and he said he wasn't exactly.pleasant to talk to."  
  
"Do I have to go with you too?"  
  
Haruka nodded. "You should come."  
  
"But what if Queen Serenity was telling us the truth and Mamo-chan is just stressed?"  
  
"How would that explain Mamoru-san in the fire?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Again they rode in silence for a while.  
  
"Do you want to be dropped off at home Kitten?" Haruka asked.  
  
Usagi shook her head. "Could you drop me off at Rei-chans Haruka-sama?"  
  
Haruka nodded. "Hold on!" she cried and stepped heavily on the gas.  
  
"HARUKA-BAKAAAAA!" Usagi shrieked. "SLOW DOWN!!"  
  
As they came to a stop at the bottom of Rei-chan's temple/house Usagi looked at Haruka. "I may partially believe what you said about Mamo-chan but that doesn't stop me from asking you this: just what have you and Rei- chan been smokin'?"  
  
Haruka smirked. "Nothing. At least, not today." She joked as Usagi ran out of the car and up the steps.  
  
"I can't believe Seiya isn't back yet," Yaten whined. "He said he's only be an hour or 2. It's been three."  
  
"Stop complaining," Taiki returned without looking up from a keyboard. "I'm trying to get this melody right."  
  
"Why are you doing that?" Yaten drawled. "We aren't singing anymore so you can stop. And if we got all our money out of the bank we'd be swimming in it-literally."  
  
Taiki smiled slightly. "Yeah I know. But it's a habit, like my poetry writing. Remember the one Princess Kakyuu recited to me?"  
  
"Oh yes. How could I forget? You were only walked around muttering it under your breath-for two and a half weeks."  
  
"Such a short time." Taiki sighed not paying attention what-so-ever to Yaten. "Thou's starlight is pure," he recited. "Tis the light from thy golden joy that lights thy sky in the depths of the light. Thy life holds no meaning without thou's golden joyous light and the light of thou's friends. Thou's friends carry crimson and blue lights. But thou's pure golden starlight carry's a special joy into thy life."  
  
"Don't act like you're her one and only," Yaten spoke up. "She gave as all special poems different from each others'."  
  
"Let me pretend." Taiki pleaded.  
  
"Pretend all you want. I'm going for a walk," he said and walked out the door.  
  
He sighed as he walked down the sidewalk. "Time travel," he murmured. "Yuck. Why am I even bothering to go?" he asked himself as he passed a large group of girls.  
  
"Yaten?"  
  
Yaten stopped and turned around, then froze staring into the heart shaped eyes of at least a dozen drooling girls.  
  
"Oh no," he muttered taking a step backwards. "They can't possibly remember me can they?"  
  
One girl took a step forward. "Yaten." she murmured.  
  
Yaten looked VERY scared. He turned around and bolted down the sidewalk the girls shrieking and running after him, a cloud rising up from behind them.  
  
"Holy.crap!" he gasped as he ran. "I didn't.know.this would.happen!.This.hasn't.happened.to Seiya yet!.And he's.been out in.public.more than me!"  
  
He felt his foot wedge into a crack in the sidewalk and the next minute he was on the ground.  
  
"This is not cool." he moaned as he saw the screaming cloud of girls draw closer. 'Face it.' He thought. 'This is the end.'  
  
"Hold it!" a feminine voice yelled and someone stepped over him her shadow falling across his face.  
  
The girls screeched to a halt and were silent, until one yelled. "She's hogging him!"  
  
"I have a right to hog him!" the voice yelled back. "After all I AM his new girlfriend."  
  
Yaten looked up and saw a familiar red bow in long blonde hair. "Minako- chan."  
  
"So on behalf of pop-sensation idles everywhere-I demand you keep your hands off him!"  
  
Yaten smiled as the girls stomped away. "Thanks Mina-chan," he said looking up towards her.  
  
She turned around and smiled. "Don't mention it Yaten-kun!" -She held out her hand- "Let me help you up."  
  
She pulled him up and began dusting him off with her hands. "I'm just a bit mad at you though," she confessed. "I wish you would have talked to us in the last two days."  
  
"We uh.have had to do a lot in the last couple of days."  
  
"Well you could have at least called. We missed you guys a lot," she said brushing his shoulder.  
  
Yaten grabbed her hand (nicely) and looked into her bright blue eyes. "You did?" he whispered.  
  
Minako blushed. "Yeah," she whispered. Then she looked embarrassed. "Oh that stuff I said about being your girlfriend-I said that to keep those girls from trampling you. Uh.I was kidding about it."  
  
Yaten smiled and lowered her hand but still held it. "Well I'm not," he whispered.  
  
Minako's eyes widened and she blushed again. "Yaten."  
  
He leaned forward and kissed her gently on her cheek.  
  
Her eyes quivered as he drew back and she was pink. But she still managed to whisper, "Is that the best you can do?"  
  
Yaten smiled and shook his head, chuckling. Mina chuckled too. That was when he held her face in a hand and kissed her lips.  
  
Mina placed a few fingers on her lips and blushed.  
  
"You're special Mina-chan," Yaten said quietly. "Don't ever forget that."  
  
Minako nodded as they walked down the sidewalk hand in hand.  
  
"How do you feel about messing with time?" he asked.  
  
Minako shrugged. "We've already visited the future which kinda sucks. Cause then you can't screw anything up in our present."  
  
Yaten nodded. "I don't want to see my future.  
  
"We didn't have a choice. We had to go so we could save the future."  
  
"I wonder what the past will be like," Yaten wondered.  
  
"If Queen Serenity lied to us, it won't be pretty."  
  
"What if she was telling the truth?"  
  
"It still won't be pretty."  
  
"What does everyone die?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Even you?"  
  
"Yes. It was my past life though."  
  
"What's it like to die?"  
  
Minako shrugged. "I can't really remember. I was killed in a fight against Queen Beryl."  
  
"Beryl..." Yaten whispered. Images flashed before his eyes-each for a split second-of a horrific battle. He saw Mercury get blasted against a pillar, Jupiter into a stonewall, Mars into a balcony rail, and Venus shatter on the ground.  
  
"Yaten?" Minako asked. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm alright," he answered nervously. "You, uh, want to go for some ice cream?"  
  
Minako eyed him a moment then smiled ^^. "Sure! Why not? I don't have to pay!"  
  
Yaten smiled, but his smile soon disappeared. 'What I saw." he thought. 'Was it real? Was that the battle with Beryl on the Moon Kingdom? I guess I'll find out soon.'  
  
  
  
Mamoru sat upon a throne of black carved stone, gazing into a small smooth pool. The pool seemed to be a window a window to whatever Mamoru wanted to see. It showed a wavy picture of Yaten and Minako sharing a large fudge sunday.  
  
He (Mamo) looked like he was in some kind of pain. He was grasping the armrests of his throne with death grip, his legs were trembling, and his eyes were squeezed shut. When he opened them, they were glowing and were shifting from caring to evil. The rose in his front pocket was changing too; from red to black to red to black. He seemed to fighting whatever was trying to control him.  
  
"Odango," he rasped gasping for air. "I don't think I can."  
  
His eyes turned evil and stayed and his rose turned to black and stayed.  
  
"I'm sorry." he whispered then closed his eyes and became limp.  
  
His body began to glow red and he was lifted to his feet. A flash of light spread from his feet to his head and he was transformed into Prince Endymion.  
  
Endymion opened his evil blue eyes and silently took his sword from its sheath, then looked at the window pool. It shimmered for a moment then replaced the picture of Yaten and Minako with a picture of Seiya in his apartment sitting sadly on a couch.  
  
Endymion slashed at the picture with his sword, splashing water all over, then straightened.  
  
"My pyramid of plans will not tumble and fall because of my challenger. Seiya Kou will die. I shall wait though. Let him know the truth before he dies," he hissed emotionlessly. Then he chuckled softly.  
  
  
  
"Girls are so strange Taiki-chan," Seiya mumbled on the couch.  
  
Taiki-still at the keyboard-half-smiled. "Funny you should say so since you ARE a girl," he replied sarcastically.  
  
"You need to stop hanging out with Yaten," Seiya advised. "His personality is rubbing off onto you."  
  
"I'd stop hanging around with him if someone wasn't always with a certain blonde girl that has two odangoes on her head! I get cravings for others' company you know!" he exclaimed tapping a few keys on the keyboard.  
  
"Just go see Ami-chan."  
  
Taiki froze then turned rigidly around. "A-Ami-chan?" ^_^;  
  
"Oh come on Taiki-chan!" Seiya cried. "Stop pretending!"  
  
"Pretend.ing?"  
  
"You know what I mean!"  
  
"Uh."  
  
Seiya sighed. "Taiki-chan.Ami-chan really does like you, Usako said she talked about you quite a bit while we were gone."  
  
"She-she did?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"WAHOOOO! Ami likes me! Who does she like? ME! That's who! I'll go visit her right now I think. Yeah, right now would be a perfect time to see my blue haired angel of wisdom-"  
  
"Huh?" ^_^;  
  
"-I can't wait to see her!" he yelled, jumped away from the keyboard and bolted towards the door.  
  
"Seiya grabbed him by the collar (Taiki is being strangled) "On second thought, stay here and keep me company."  
  
Taiki crashed to the floor and groaned.  
  
Seiya shook his head at Taiki's twitching foot. "We're doing the time thing tomorrow so it's not like it's an eternity to wait."  
  
Taiki sat up. "But I wanna see her NOW!" he whined.  
  
Seiya raised an eyebrow. "If I can handle Usagi running away from me sobbing you can handle not seeing Ami-chan for 22 hours."  
  
"I wanna see her!" he sobbed.  
  
"Taiki, shut up." 


	6. The Guardian

Aeris: Vela-chan! This is for you!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, nor the chars used belong to me.  
Fate Isn't Written in Stone  
Chapter 5:  
The Guardian  
"Shouldn't they be here Pluto?" Hotaru/Saturn asked.  
Pluto/Setsuna nodded. "They'll be here soon Saturn. The fog may slow them down." She glanced around. Uranus and Neptune stood a few yards away, though they were grayish in color because of the heavy fog that blotted out objects 10 yards away.  
"Look Pluto!" Saturn cried pointing into the fog.  
Eight figures were walking towards the Outers. As they came closer Pluto figured out it was the Inners and the Starlights. They came to a stop about 3 yards from the Outers.  
Usagi stood by Seiya, Taiki by Ami etc.  
"Oh, you're in senshi form." Usagi said looking at the Outers.  
Uranus nodded silently. "You guys should transform too."  
"Why?" Mako asked. "Can't we go as we are?"  
Neptune shook her head. "It would be best if you transformed, you'd stand a better chance if we were to meet the."  
"'The' what?" Minako asked.  
Neptune glanced at Pluto, who nodded.  
"The Guardian," Neptune finished telling them all about the Guardian Pluto had described.  
"Then it would be wise to transform," Rei commented. She held up her henshin pen.  
"Mars Crystal Power.MAKE-UP!"  
"Mercury Crystal Power, MAKE-UP!"  
"Maker Star Power, MAKE-UP!"  
"Jupiter Crystal Power, MAKE-UP!"  
"Venus Crystal Power, MAKE-UP!"  
"Healer Star Power, MAKE-UP!"  
"Fighter Star Power, MAKE-UP!"  
"Moon Eternal! MAKE-UP!!"  
Pluto raised her garnet orb staff above her head, the garnet catching the light (what little there was). "Gates of Time," she whispered. "Open your locks for your former guardian."  
There was a flash of red light and the senshi found themselves standing in front of the Gates of Time.  
"This doesn't look like the Moon Kingdom Pluto," ESM said looking at the Gates.  
"Of course it isn't," she replied. "You have to drive, then walk into the grocery store."  
"Huh?"  
"We had to come here first so we could teleport to the Moon Passageway." Uranus answered.  
"Oooooohhhh," ESM nodded. "What a strange analogy."  
Pluto hit the ground with the bottom of her staff three times. "Let us in," she called. "To the Moon Passageway."  
There was another flash of light only it was white, accompanied by a sound of many birds taking flight and a stream gurgling over rocks, then another pink flash of light.  
"Where are we?" ESM heard Saturn ask. She (ESM) opened her eyes and looked around.  
They were in a long hallway that was pure white. White tapestries hung from a starry ceiling, billowing in an unknown wind. The walls were white, the tile on which they stood on was white with moon designs carved into each piece, and on each side of the long hallway were doors spaced at intervals of about 7 ft. and between each door was a tapestry. The doors were apparently made of white marble with strange runes craved into them beside their crystal doorknobs. (A/N from Vela-chan: I'm too descriptive)  
"This is the Moon Passageway of Time." Pluto answered calmly.  
The Starlights looked around in awe. "It's beautiful," Maker whispered.  
"Look at the moon!" Venus cried pointing into the starry ceiling.  
ESM looked up and saw it. It was a pale yellow though it was full. She had never seen the face more clearly.  
"Something's coming." Mars whispered.  
Usagi looked at the tapestries, for some reason they'd stopped moving. She had a strange feeling something was coming too, she didn't like the feeling, it was eerie.  
Suddenly there was a huge blast of wind that shoved the startled senshi to the ground.  
"Who dares enter the Moon Passageway of Time without Queen Serenity's permission?" a voice yelled.  
"It's the Guardian!" Pluto gasped.  
"Name yourselves trespassers!" the voice hissed.  
ESM stood up slowly. I'm Eternal Sailor Moon and these are my friends-all sailor senshi," she replied, waving her hand in the direction of the others.  
"Princess?" the voice asked surprised and confused.  
ESM looked confused. "If you mean Princess Serenity, yeah, I'm her. At least, her reincarnate."  
Sparkles gathered in front of ESM about 5 ft. away and the next moment, a young man stood in front of her.  
He looked about 19 or 20 and was dressed in white and a bit of purple. Her hair was straight and white and fell to his waist, then was tied in a 3 ft. ponytail. His eyes were ice blue and very pretty. Around his neck on a long silver chain was a sphere shaped deep, royal purple crystal. He had the moon symbol beneath his bangs and a pair of feathery wings adorned his back. (A/N from Vela-chan: He looks a lot like Yue from Cardcaptors).  
The man bowed, walked up to Usagi, knelt down, and took her hand.  
"Forgive my rudeness, Princess," he said quietly. "But you must understand my task of guarding the Passageway."  
ESM nodded. Then looked a bit surprised when he kissed her hand.  
"Mmmm." Fight whined, thumbnail in her mouth ().  
"Oh knock it off. He's showing respect you idiot!" Healer snapped.  
The man stood up and looked at each senshi. "All me to introduce myself," he said bowing again. "I am the Guardian of the Moon Passageway of Time. My name is Quiore." (Kw.i.er)  
Moon, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus, and Neptune got heart-eyes.  
"He's hot," they all said in unison.  
Uranus, Fighter, Maker, and Healer glared at them. "Hey!"  
Quiore looked confused and glanced at his long sleeves. "No, actually," he announced. "I'm quite cool in my clothes, I'm not hot at all."  
"Ugh," the Inners + Neptune groaned and fell to the ground.  
The Starlights + Uranus smiled broadly.  
"May I ask why you are here?" Quiore asked.  
"We came to see the final day of the Moon Kingdom," Pluto replied.  
Quiore sighed softly. "I guessed as much. Queen Serenity also knew the day would come when you wanted to see the real past."  
"You mean the past she told us was a lie?" ESM asked.  
Quiore looked sadly at her. "Yes," he answered. He held his hand out to her. "If you will all come with me I will explain everything to you."  
Fighter's thumbnail went into her mouth again ().  
ESM looked behind at the others, who nodded. She turned back to Quiore. "We'll come." She said and took his hand. There was a flash of white light, the sound of rushing wings, then she a soft breeze on her skin.  
Thinking the trip was over she opened her eyes and cried out. All around was blackness; she couldn't see any of her friends though she knew they should be beside her, she was frightened.  
A hand squeezed hers and she felt a loving feeling spreads through her body. Then she felt warmth surround her and she realized it was Quiore's body heat-he was hold her.  
"Don't be frightened Princess," he whispered. "Nothing can happen. We're just traveling through space."  
ESM nodded and closed her eyes. She felt his arms wrap around her middle and felt his breath on her neck. But she wasn't offended. On the contrary, she felt.protected was a good word. She felt protected in his arms. It was a good feeling she never had with Mamoru, nor with Seiya. Then again.Usagi hadn't really been held by him often.  
"We're almost there," Quiore whispered. "When I let go, don't be afraid.  
"Where are the others?"  
"Right beside us."  
"Why can't I hear them? Are they alright?"  
"They're fine. You can't hear them while we're traveling."  
There was a flash of light and Usagi felt Quiore let go of her and felt her feet touch solid ground. Slowly she opened her eyes. She and her friends were in another pure white room. There was a marble table, thick white carpet, tapestries, and objects to site on.  
Seiya's/Fighter's nail was in her mouth, again.  
Healer slapped her upside the head. "Quiore isn't going to steal her away from you!" she yelled. "He's too old for her!"  
Quiore smiled serenely and let go of ESM's hand. "You have no idea."  
Healer looked at him. "Huh?"  
"You have no idea how old I really am."  
"How old are you?" Healer asked.  
"In your time, I'd be about 19 or 20," he explained. "But truthfully, I'm 1,346 years old."  
*Jaw drop from everyone*  
"Do you have anything to eat around here?" ESM asked all of a sudden.  
  
*Everyone crashed to the floor*  
  
"Leave it to Usagi, the human garbage disposal," Mars groans.  
  
"Food?" Quiore asked.  
  
Usagi nodded.  
  
"Well uh.I don't have to eat. I get my energy from the moon."  
  
"That's not fair," she wept. "But I think I'll live."  
  
"Queen Serenity didn't want to tell you the truth because she thought it would be too painful," Quiore said about an hour later. They were all sitting (a) on the floor or (b) on the chair things. Quiore say on a sat, the Inners on the floor + Hotaru, the others on chairs etc. Fighter kept getting closer to ESM.  
  
"Parts of what she told you were true, just.put differently."  
  
"Like what?" Jupiter asked.  
  
"Princess Serenity did die at the hands of Metallia. Queen Serenity died using the Imperium Silver Crystal to send all of you into the future. That was nearly almost true.The Inners died during the battle by Metallia. That was entirely true. Everything else.unfortunately was changed to protect you from being hurt.Forgive me." he fell to the ground and took her hand.  
  
"You don't need to be forgiven Quiore," ESM returned. "You didn't do anything.  
  
Quiore looked up at her sadly. "But I did Princess. I helped to erase the true memories, I helped send you into the future with no memories what-so- ever and I helped Queen Serenity with the false story!"  
  
ESM looked down at him. "You still don't need to be forgiven Quiore."  
  
He jerked his head up, startled. "Don't I?" he whispered.  
  
ESM smiled and shook her head. "No," she answered. "You were only trying to protect us. Trying to keep the pain from returning. It might have been easier if you had told us the truth, but it's too late for that. But you don't need to ask for forgiveness when you did nothing to need forgiveness."  
  
They were silent for a moment then ESM-Quiore still looking at her and holding her hand-asked, "Can you takes us to the last day of the Moon Kingdom, Quiore?"  
  
Quiore shook his head. "Not tonight Princess."  
  
"Why not tonight?"  
  
"The moon has set. I cannot take you there once the moon has set."  
  
"It was early morning when we left how did it become night so fast?" Saturn asked.  
  
Quiore-still looking at ESM-answered, "Space Travel. Though it only seems to take seconds, it takes hours. And today you did quite a bit of space travel."  
  
Saturn rubbed her eyes and yawned. "I am feeling a little tired. What time is it?"  
  
Quiore looked up into the starry ceiling. "Two-seventeen in the morning." He looked back at the senshi. "Why don't I set up some beds for you."  
  
"This room isn't that big Quiore," Neptune commented.  
  
Quiore walked over to a tapestry and pulled it aside, revealing a doorway. "Each room is big enough for 5 of you. You may us these three-" He pointed to three of the 9 tapestries that decorated the large room. "When you want darkness just think it and the sky will blacken."  
  
The Inners marched into one room and found several comfy beds, as did the Outers and Starlights. Nightclothes were folded on each bed's foot.  
  
"Princess."  
  
ESM turned to Quiore. "Huh?"  
  
"If you want, I have another room for you if you'd like." He held out his hand.  
  
ESM looked at his hand then into his eyes. "We won't have to space travel will we?"  
  
Quiore smiled. "No Princess."  
  
ESM smiled too. "Alright. In a way, I'd rather have my own room." She reached out and took his hand.  
  
"Over here," he whispered and pulled her gently towards him, then led her towards another tapestry across the room.  
  
Pulling it aside, ESM stepped inside the room. Silently, she walked to the bed and picked up the nightgown. It was a white, spaghetti straps, ankle- length, & silk.  
  
"This is beautiful Quiore," she said, holding it up.  
  
Quiore softly walked to her side, standing quietly.  
  
ESM looked at the sky/ceiling. "It's beautiful Quiore."  
  
"It gets dull after a millennium."  
  
"I don't think it would ever be dull."  
  
Quiore looked at her. "Many things never get dull." He reached out and stroked her cheek. Slowly, she turned her head to him.  
  
Quiore looked into her eyes. 'My poor angel.' he thought. 'Torn between the one she loves and the lover she is unsure about. Her past is foggy and he future is even foggier.' He stared into her eyes. 'She's had others love her in the past.she doesn't know.'  
  
He kissed her lightly then drew away and just looked at her.  
  
'That didn't feel wrong.' Usagi thought. 'I didn't feel guilty about Chibi- Usa either.'  
  
'She didn't know.she didn't know that I loved her for a millennium.One reason Queen Serenity put me here. She knew I was born to be the next guardian and that if Princess Serenity returned my love her heard would have broken when I left.Still.I wish, sometimes, Queen Serenity would have let me stay.'  
  
Quiore stroked her cheek again softly. Then, shocked at his behavior, he dropped to the ground blushing scarlet. "Oh my god," he gasped. "Princess, I don't know what came over me. Forgive me." Before ESM could say anything Quiore quickly walked towards the door. Once there, he hesitated and then turned back to ESM. "Pleasant dreams." he said quietly.  
  
ESM smiled and nodded. "You too."  
  
Quiore smiled slightly, she wasn't upset about the kiss. "I don't need to sleep Princess, just rest." He returned and walked out of the bedroom.  
  
ESM giggled. "Dang," she said. "He's a good kisser for such an ancient person."  
  
Quiore silently walked into Usagi's bedroom lat that night and sat at its foot.  
  
"Angel," he whispered. "You will get your memory back. But I'm unable to let you see what I felt for you.what I still feel for you. And tonight, by morning, that too will be gone."  
  
Usagi sighed in her sleep. "I love you Seiya." she whispered.  
  
Quiore smiled, then touched the purple jewel around his neck. It glowed then pulsed once.  
  
Instantly he transported to another room. It was filled with 7ft. high tubes, a bluish water or strange substance in each one, oxygen bubbles filtering through each. Steel plates covered a ring around each tube about ¼ from its bottom.  
  
Quiore walked up to one tube and gazed into it. A girl of about 17 was floating inside it.  
  
She had long black hair that fell to her calves and was in odangos. Bangs wavered over her forehead. Her arms were crossed over her chest, fingers spread out. She seemed asleep of in suspended animation in the tube. Apparently, she didn't need to breathe.  
  
Others were in tubes too. Some younger, some older, mostly girls but a few boys.  
  
Quiore kneeled in front of the tub that contained the black-haired girl.  
  
"They will remember soon." he said to the girl as his jewel pulsed.  
  
The girls' body glowed pink in the tube.  
  
"Yes, you will be born," Quiore said to her, his jewel stopped pulsing.  
  
.  
  
"I assure you, you will be born. Nothing will stop you, I'll make sure of it."  
  
.  
  
"Yes, they love each other. If you were able to see them you would know instantly."  
  
.  
  
Quiore smiled. "Yes. Just as you said he'd be. He's very protective of her.I don't really mind-"  
  
.  
  
Quiore looked down. "I do. I've had these feeling for a millennium."  
  
.  
  
Quiore stood and bowed. "Goodnight to you too.Chibi-Usa-san." His jewel pulsed once and he disappeared.  
  
The bangs of the girl in the tube moved, revealing a crescent moon on her forehead. 


	7. The Past

Ryoko: Here we go for the next chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon doesn't belong to me. Nor are the chars used. They belong to Vela-chan.  
  
A/N: Sorry for the HUGE delay in getting this chapter out, but school has been hectic.  
  
Fate Isn't Written in Stone  
  
Chapter 6:  
  
The Past  
  
"This is as far as I can go with you," Quiore announced. They were back in the long hallway were they had first met Quiore. "It will be like watching a.movie as you call them. You will see, but not be seen. Nor will you be able to be heard. Just stand still and you will see everything that is important. The settings will change and at first it will be like you're standing on nothing but don't be afraid."  
  
"What will happen when we're done?" Sailor Mars asked.  
  
"You will be instantly transported back to this hallway. I will be waiting for you."  
  
Quiore touched his jewel, then two runes on a door and opened it. A blazing white light filled the other side.  
  
"I wish you.a safe journey," he whispered as the senshi walked through the doorway. He sighed softly as the door slowly closed.  
  
Princess Serenity stood on her balcony looking into the night sky. "Luna, I don't want him to go," she said sadly to the midnight-black cat beside her.  
  
"Pardon?" Luna asked.  
  
Serenity-still looking into the sky-answered, "Prince Seiya. He is one of my dearest friends Luna. I don't understand why mother is making him and the other senshi of the stars go to another solar system-" she put a fist to her forehead as tears spilled down her face "-It's NOT FAIR Luna!"  
  
"Princess, if your mother chooses to do so it must for the best. You'll see him again."  
  
"I'm afraid I may not Luna," Serenity wept. "I'm afraid tonight's dance may be the last time I ever see him."  
  
"He-uh-will be in male form I'm hoping."  
  
"I don't care if he is or not."  
  
"Wouldn't it look strange if you were dancing with a woman?"  
  
"You're a positive builder tonight aren't you?" the Princess asked, sobs now racking her body. She used the balcony rail for support.  
  
"Princess-"  
  
"Leave me, Luna." She whispered. "Please. Let me be alone."  
  
Luna sadly walked inside, listening to the Princess cry.  
  
"I don't want you to go Seiya," she sobbed. "Please, don't leave me. My heart will break."  
  
"Princess! Why are you crying?"  
  
Princess Serenity peered below her. "Seiya!" she cried looking down at him. Quickly, she wiped the tears from her eyes. "I was crying.because I'll miss you. Must you leave tomorrow?"  
  
Seiya smiled sadly at her. "We'll talk more after we dance. Then we can say proper goodbye's to each other." He said simply and ran off.  
  
"Wait!" Serenity called softly.  
  
Princess Serenity brushed the long hair falling out of her odangos slowly. In 10 minutes she'd see Seiya for the last time.  
  
"Just go up and say it to him Princess," Sailor Mars said brushing her own hair.  
  
"What?"  
  
Sailor Mars smiled. "Tell him you love him and tell your mother you want him to stay."  
  
"Prince Seiya?."  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"But I."  
  
"Don't tell me you don't love him, I know you do! I can see it when you're with him."  
  
"I guess I do love him. I never realized it."  
  
"You didn't?" asked a bewildered Sailor Mars.  
  
"No.Sailor Mars, what if I tell him I love him, but he doesn't love me?"  
  
Mars groaned. "I cannot believe this.Princess, I'm not saying I've been spying on you, but how many times has he kissed you? More than 3 times I can tell you that."  
  
"I thought he was showing respect."  
  
"No."  
  
"I wish I had known earlier.now it's too late."  
  
Sailor Mars put a hand on the Princess' shoulder. "It's not too late yet," she said simply.  
  
A hand grabbed Princess Serenity's as she quickly walked down the stairs to the ballroom.  
  
"I've been waiting for you Serenity."  
  
Serenity turned her head and smiled at Prince Seiya. "I've been waiting for you also."  
  
"May I have this dance?"  
  
Serenity smiled. "Of course."  
  
As they danced Seiya quietly told her why he had to leave.  
  
"Your mother is sending myself, Sailor Star Healer-Prince Yaten- and Maker- Prince Taiki- to a star in another galaxy called Kinmoku. The Queen there is called Kimokyusie. Kinmoku is a prosperous star, but very weak in defense."  
  
"Is Mother sending you because you're Star Senshi?"  
  
Seiya nodded. "That and."  
  
"And what?"  
  
"There is an evil force traveling throughout the universe, Metallia and Queen Beryl. Beryl wants to someday rule the universe and she'll stop at nothing to do so. Queen Serenity is good friends with the people of Kinmoku and is sending us there to defend it, that is the area Beryl attacked last."  
  
"But what if she attacks this solar system while you three are away?"  
  
Seiya glanced around. "Let's talk on your balcony. I don't want to start a panic now that the music has stopped."  
  
"You have other senshi to protect you while we're gone. And you have the Imperium Silver Crystal as well," Seiya said on the balcony.  
  
"I don't want you to go."  
  
Seiya took her face in her hands and looked straight into her eyes. "I don't want to go either," he said gently. "I would much rather stay here with you. If Beryl does attack Kinmoku, I swear, I'll protect it like I would you and I'll fight with all I've got.I may not return.as you know. Which is why I wanted to give you this." He put a ring on her finger (same ring). "I hope it brings you luck."  
  
Princess Serenity smiled sadly as she cried silently. "I don't want you to leave.I love you."  
  
Seiya smiled sadly too. "Any other time I would have been happy, not now though. I AM happy, but not as happy as I could be."  
  
He kissed her.  
  
(A few nights later)  
  
Serenity sat in a rose garden holding a red rose, and gazing at her ring.  
  
"When I return I want you to be my wife, if your mother allows it."  
  
"She will."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"She likes you."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You will return to me," she whispered.  
  
"Princess Serenity!" a voice gasped.  
  
She turned and saw Luna running towards her. "What is it Luna?" she asked calmly.  
  
"Quickly, you must get inside!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"No time to explain! You must come now!"  
  
Serenity stood and ran after Luna back to the palace.  
  
Queen Serenity looked down at at least 25-sailor senshi from the top of the staircase that led to the ballroom. Princess Serenity stood beside her.  
  
"Some of you may have of why I summoned you here," Queen Serenity announced. "But many of you do not. The reason you were called here is to battle."  
  
There were murmurs among the senshi.  
  
"Outer Senshi of this solar system. You know this must be a difficult battle if you were called from your posts."  
  
Neptune, Uranus, Pluto, and Saturn nodded.  
  
"The one whom you're to battle will be Queen Beryl and her Negaforce. She is heading this way and will arrive in about 24 hours. Be on your guard senshi, you know you're posts."  
  
'If Queen Beryl is here already does that mean Kinmoku has been defeated?' the Princess thought.  
  
"We're under attack! We're under attack!" Luna shrieked running through the palace, Artemis beside her.  
  
"We need everyone we can get! To the armaments!" Artemis yelled.  
  
"Shabon Spray!"  
  
"Fire Soul!"  
  
"Supreme Thunder!"  
  
"Crescent Beam!"  
  
Metallia hissed as their attacks hit her/him (it?). "Pathetic mortals, I will destroy you!" It fired an energy blast at the Inners that threw them into the air. Mercury crashed against a pillar, Jupiter fell on a stonewall, Mars was hurled onto a balcony railing (breaking it) and Venus shattered on the ground.  
  
Princess Serenity watched the destruction of her home from her balcony. She had witnessed the Inners death and many civilians.  
  
An evil cackle disturbed her thoughts as Queen Beryl materialized 30 feet about her. Serenity gasped and took a step back but no more, frozen by fear.  
  
"Well well well. Look what's here. Princess Serenity's all choked up about her kingdom, not for long.Endymion!" she yelled.  
  
Prince Endymion appeared beside Beryl.  
  
"Endymion? Prince Endymion of the Earth?" Serenity asked.  
  
"The one and the same," he said.  
  
"But-but why Endymion?" she sputtered.  
  
"Would you rather be on the winning side or losing side??"  
  
"If I had to sell my soul to that snake, I'd rather die!" she yelled.  
  
Beryl hissed then muttered, "Kill her."  
  
Endymion lunged at the Princess barely missing her with his sword as she darted out of its way. She wasn't quick enough to dodge the blow from the hilt of the sword, it hit her square in the shoulder and sent her to the ground, crying out in pain.  
  
"What? No tears?" Endymion sneered.  
  
"I would rather die than give you that pleasure."  
  
"As you wish," Endymion said raising his sword above his head.  
  
Serenity gasped but still managed to dodge the sword. Quickly she stood up and ran towards the door, down the stairs and out the front door.  
  
Metallia was waiting. She created a tornado-like attack. The surprised Princess saw only for a second before it sucked her 400 ft. into the air (taking most of the palace with her too).  
  
When the attack subsided, the gravity was neutralized so the princess floated slowly down to the moon still alive, but just barely. She started crying when she was 10 ft. off the ground. They weren't tears of pain but of anguish.  
  
As she landed on a slab of-what was the palace-she let out a sob and laid a first across her chest.  
  
"I'm afraid I won't see you for a long time Seiya." she whispered. Serenity winced and sighed, closing her eyes tightly. "Remember me." she became limp and her hand that lay across her chest slipped over the edge of the narrow slab of concrete.  
  
Uranus, lying weakly on her stomach in the ruins, gasped.  
  
Neptune, who lay inches away glanced at her. "What is it?"  
  
"The.The Princess," Uranus choked out.  
  
"She's dead?"  
  
Uranus nodded crying silently.  
  
Neptune got up on her hands. The battle had moved past them and left the Outers who were dying from it.  
  
"But knowing the Princess," Neptune started. "She didn't go down without a fight."  
  
Saturn who was sitting against a fallen pillar limply muttered, "She didn't.I'm positive."  
  
"Serenity!" Queen Serenity ran through the rubble looking for her daughter. "Princess Serenity, where are you?"  
  
"Do you want to know?"  
  
Queen Serenity looked above her, and glared at the gloating Endymion.  
  
"What have you done to her Endymion?!"  
  
"I haven't done anything to her. She brought it on herself.But if you really want to see your precious princess, she's out there," he said pointing behind the Queen to where the palace once stood.  
  
Queen Serenity turned around to go look for her daughter.  
  
"Queen, watch out!" Luna cried dashing towards her, Artemis beside her.  
  
Serenity jerked back around as Endymion and his sword hurtled towards her.  
  
There was a sickening sound of the sword entering Queen Serenity's body but above her hip. A stream of blood trickled down the blade and fell into an ever largening puddle between Serenity and Endymion.  
  
Endymion smiled insanely as he pushed the sword deeper into the Queen.  
  
Serenity didn't cry out but gritted her teeth in pain. "I don't wish to do this, but I guess I have no choice."  
  
She held out her hand and the crescent moon wand appeared in it.  
  
A sudden look of fear came to Endymion's eyes. "You-you wouldn't," he stuttered. "You'll die."  
  
Queen Serenity gave him a look of disgust. "I, unlike you," she said, "am unselfish and will sacrifice myself for my people." She raised the wand above her head and screamed, "MOON HEALING ESCALATION!"  
  
"Oh my God." Taiki whispered as they stood in the ruins of the Moon Kingdom. "What happened?"  
  
Seiya looked at all the bodies that littered the ground silently. "Where's the Princess?" he whispered to himself, than turned to his comrades. "Where's the Princess?!" he shouted. He brought a trembling fist to his forehead. "Where is she?!" He didn't wait for an answer but dashed into the rubble screaming, "Princess! Princess Serenity! Where are you?!"  
  
Seiya stopped abruptly, his friends behind him. "Serenity?" he whispered slowly walking towards the long blonde hair and hand that hung over a stone slab.  
  
He scanned the Princess, who now lay on her side silently, eyes quivering. Slowly he knelt down beside her and raised her into a sitting position. Seiya's shoulders shook as the sobs escaped his body.  
  
Taiki and Yaten bowed their heads. They're grief wasn't as great as Seiya's.  
  
"We've been waiting for you," a voice said.  
  
They turned and saw Artemis standing weakly a few yards away.  
  
"What?" Yaten asked.  
  
"The Queen," Artemis replied. He looked at Seiya. "She also wants to see her daughter for the last time."  
  
The trio looked confused but followed Artemis, Seiya weeping while holding the dead Princess.  
  
"We were attacked by Beryl," the Queen explained lying on a pillar. "All the senshi fought with their lives and, unfortunately lost them.As well as my sweet daughter."  
  
"Where's Beryl now?" Yaten asked holding the Queen's hand.  
  
Queen Serenity help out her hand, the Imperium Silver Crystal in it.  
  
Taiki gasped. "Queen, you.?"  
  
She nodded. "I banished them all.I couldn't destroy them or else I would have destroyed Princess Serenity and the senshi."  
  
"What will we do now though?" Seiya murmured.  
  
The Queen smiled sadly. "You all shall be reborn in the future.on Earth.Expect for you three.you will be reborn on Kinmoku.All of you will have no memory of this time or place."  
  
"What?" Seiya cried.  
  
"I want you to have normal lives." the Queen explained. "But if the Negaforce or any other evil threatens the universe.someone will tell you what to do and you will become senshi once more."  
  
There was a metallic sound and Taiki picked up the ring that had fallen off Princess Serenity's hand, giving it to Seiya who was crying silently.  
  
The Queen stood up and her moon symbol glowed. Instantly everyone on the moon was put into one of those bubble things all but three heading for the Earth.  
  
Then the Queen murmured. "Someday.there will be peace." and she hurled the ginzshou into space.  
  
Queen Serenity trembled and fell against the pillar. She picked up the crescent moon wand and said, ""Perhaps, someday, they'll be together again." She closed her eyes and the wand slipped out of her hand.  
  
'Be happy' she thought 'On behalf of the.' 


	8. Harkua's Acceptence

Disclaimer: All original characters belong to Vela-chan. The rest belong to Naoko Takeuchi.  
  
A/N from Ryoko: Vela-chan has taken over to type a few chapters since I haven't had either the time or the inspiration to do it.  
  
Fate Isn't Written in Stone  
  
Chapter 7:  
  
Haruka's Acceptance  
  
(Back in the hallway.)  
  
There was a brilliant flash of white light and the senshi appeared in front of the door that they had entered.  
  
There was an uneasy silence as the senshi stood dumbstruck, and then ESM ran to Fighter and hugged her, sobbing.  
  
"Do you understand, now, why Queen Serenity told you a false past?" Quiore asked appearing a few feet away from them.  
  
ESM nodded, and then whispered, "Did Mamoru somehow escape from the ginzushou?"  
  
Quiore nodded. "Yes, somehow. We don't know exactly how. All we know is that he escaped with his evil still bottled up inside him. Though it isn't anymore. . ."  
  
ESM looked at him. "You-you mean. . ."  
  
Again, the white haired man nodded. "He's awake, and stronger than ever."  
  
"If Mamoru and I were never meant for each other. . .What happens to Chibi-Usa?" she asked shakily.  
  
Quiore smiled. "I'll show you," he said and tapped his jewel. They were transported to the tube-filled room and Quiore led the senshi to Chibi-Usa.  
  
"Who are these people?" Venus asked.  
  
"These are the descendents of all of you." He answered.  
  
"WHA?! These are our kids?!"  
  
"To put it simply: yes. Your children, grand-children and so on."  
  
"Holy. . ." Healer began when a girl caught her eye. She was rather short but she looked about 13, with waist length pale, pale blonde hair. "Who is this Quiore?" she asked.  
  
" That's Mia-Tenko."  
  
"Whose daughter is she?"  
  
"Well. . . Do you want to know?"  
  
Healer nodded.  
  
"That's your child."  
  
"I figured as much. She looks a lot like me," she stated calmly. "Who's the mother?"  
  
"Aino Minako."  
  
Both of their eyes widened and their faces turned scarlet.  
  
"And this. . ."he pointed to another girl with short brown hair that came to her shoulders. "Is Kamika. Daughter of. . .-" The senshi leaned forward eagerly-" Taiki Kou and Mizuno Ami!" *eyes widening and blushing* "and last but certainly not least," he concluded, pointing to another tube. "Is Chibi-Usa!"  
  
ESM looked at her daughter. "But Chibi-Usa-chan has pink hair. . .This girl has black hair."  
  
Quiore smiled and laughed. " Did I mention that the Chibi-Usa you know is an illusion of the real Chibi-Usa?"  
  
"You mean the Chibi-Usa I knew wasn't real?"  
  
Quiore shook his head. "Not in body, no. But her personality is the same."  
  
"Well. . . Where does the black hair come from?"  
  
(The Inners, Outers-sans Saturn- and Maker raised and eyebrow)  
  
"From her father of course."  
  
"Who's the father?"  
  
( The above's eyebrows rose higher.)  
  
"Seiya Kou."  
  
ESM's jaw dropped and she glowed as red as Fighter did.  
  
()"Can't say I mind though," Fighter stated.  
  
ESM looked at him, spazzing. "YOU may not mind but I do! Everything I've come to accept isn't true!" she cried, yanking at her odango tails. "My future, my past and my present are entirely different that from what I wanted!" She groaned in exasperation.  
  
Fighter looked dejected and disappointed.  
  
ESM noticed and took a step closer to her. "Fighter. . ."she murmured, putting a hand on her shoulder. Fighter turned away. "I can understand Usagi. . .I don't think I would enjoy the idea of having a child who can be either gender. . ."  
  
"Fighter-" She stepped away from ESM.  
  
"ESM narrowed her eyes at Fighter. Then in one swift movement she took her star broach from her top.  
  
"Hey!" exclaimed Fighter as she instantly turned back to Seiya. "What did-" He never finished his sentence because ESM (practically knocking him over) kissed him. At first, Seiya was too surprised to do anything, but eventually he wrapped his arms around her. As they drew apart they just looked into each others eyes.  
  
"I was following my heart Seiya-kun," ESM whispered. "I never knew when we were fighting Galaxia, but after you left. . ." She pulled his head down to hers in another-shorter- kiss.  
  
Everyone-including Quiore- sighed and went, "Ahhhh."  
  
The two jerked apart ^_^; smiling. "Eh-he-he."  
  
Quiore smiled and looked into the sky. "Oh, it's late. You'd better spend the night with me again if you want to be rested enough to fight Endymion."  
  
"What?" Mercury gasped. "Has. . ?"  
  
Quiore nodded. "The evil that has possessed him for so long has finally taken over him. I felt it happen just before you arrived."  
  
"Why didn't you say anything?" Jupiter asked.  
  
Quiore shrugged. "I thought you knew."  
  
"Is there any chance he can be healed?" Uranus asked (apparently not yet used to knowing Seiya would one day be King of the Earth).  
  
He shook his head. "There is no hope. . ."  
  
ESM looked a little sad too. "But maybe my crystal. . ."  
  
"You're crystal, Princess, will have a hard enough time against Endymions," Quiore informed.  
  
"Mamoru has his own crystal?" Maker asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"As powerful as mine?" ESM inquired.  
  
"Yes, perhaps even stronger."  
  
ESM looked worried. "What does he want?"  
  
"You of course."  
  
"Me?! What does he want with me?!"  
  
"He's always wanted to rule the universe. He would have if Seiya hadn't interfered. Seiya made you lose your feelings towards Mamoru-"  
  
"Which made Mamoru's plans for the future get destroyed. . ." ESM finished.  
  
Quiore nodded, then glanced up at the sky/ceiling. "I'll take you back to my quarters. You can have a bit to eat and can spend the night-"  
  
"Food?" ESM gasped, perking up. "You have food? Where'd you get it? I thought you didn't have any food because you didn't have to eat."  
  
Quiore smiled. " I managed to find some things."  
  
"They aren't like 3,000 years old are they?"  
  
"It could only be 1,820 years old since it took me 126 years to grow up to the equivalent of an 18 year old. But no, it's not two millennia old."  
  
"Good," ESM returned. "Lead the way, I'm starving!"  
  
All of the senshi smiled at ESM, their tension of the upcoming battle slightly relieved.  
  
*  
  
Usagi (not ESM) sat at a huge white marble table, imitating Garfield when he's seen lasagna. Seiya sat staring at her, smiling. Usagi was about to grab the last cream puff (she'd eaten 10 others) when Seiya grabbed her hand.  
  
Usagi turned to him, whipped cream all around her mouth. "What Seiya? I'm hungry!"  
  
"Well so am I," he returned, took the cream puff and held it above his head.  
  
"Hey!" Usagi cried, jumping to her feet in unison with Seiya. "Give that back-it's mine!"  
  
"Sorry Odango Atama!" Seiya replied popping the puff into his mouth.  
  
Usagi T_T mumbled, "My cream puff. . ."  
  
Rei slapped Usagi upside the head. "BAKA! You were only supposed to eat one! The others were for us, you pig!" Usagi wasn't paying attention. Rei's slap had pushed her into Seiya, who was smiling down at her.  
  
"What?"  
  
He shook his head. "You're just too cute."  
  
"'Course I am! Pretty Soldier of Love and Justice, Eternal Sailor Moon- That's me!" she leaned up to kiss him but Seiya held her back.  
  
"At least let me clean off your face Odango," he suggested.  
  
"Am I that messy?"  
  
Seiya smiled and pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket, dipped it in his glass of water and gently wiped away the whipped cream.  
  
Rei and Makoto sighed- all heart eyes. "I wish I had a boyfriend like that!" they said together.  
  
Ami, Minako and Michiru said in unison, "I wish my boyfriend was like that!" at the same time Yaten and Taiki said, "I wish I had the courage to do that to my girlfriend!"  
  
"Hey!" Haruka exclaimed, at Michiru's remark, but shut up because everyone stared at her. She coughed and blushed. "Um. Hey look. . .I. . .wanted. . .a cream puff," she stammered, trying to think of something.  
  
Quiore, who sat away from the others, smiled silently. His eyes jerked open and he gasped softly. The senshi turned to him, a bit startled. "What is it?" Setsuna asked.  
  
He stood up. "Something. . . Is in the Passageway. But not near the entrance," the Guardian replied. "I must go." He took one running step and disappeared.  
  
Usagi looked nervous and whispered, "Could it be Mamoru?"  
  
"Don't worry Kitten," Haruka said. "It's probably just Chibi-Usa or someone traveling through time that accidentally got off course."  
  
She nodded. "You're probably right. . ."  
  
"I don't know about you guys, but we're going to bed," Setsuna stated, picking up Hotaru, who had fallen asleep on her lap.  
  
The Inners stood up too. "If Quiore needs us just yell," Rei muttered.  
  
Seiya got up to go with Taiki and Yaten and Michiru, Haruka and Usagi stood up as well. "Seiya-san!" Haruka called.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I just wanted you to know," she began. "That I think that you'll make a good King of the Earth." She smiled-sort of-at Seiya's startled look. Then he grinned and extended his hand.  
  
"Friends?"  
  
Haruka started to stretch out her hand, but hesitated. 'Friends?' she thought. 'With an alien?' She glimpsed Usagi's face- a radiant smile on her lips. 'It would make her sad. . .' She looked at Seiya, he was still smiling. 'I've trusted him so far. . .' Haruka gripped his hand and shook it. "Well the only thing that is constant is change," she said. "I'd best get used to it now." Then she turned and followed Michiru into their bedroom.  
  
*  
  
Seiya pulled on the crimson shirt that matched his pajama pants. Taiki's were yellow while Yaten's were pale blue.  
  
He sat down silently on the end of his bed, thinking deeply.  
  
Yaten glance at him, and looked amused. "Go to her."  
  
Seiya and Taiki both looked at him. "What?!" they gasped in unison.  
  
"You heard me."  
  
"Me?" Taiki squeaked, pointing to himself.  
  
"No, not you baka. Seiya."  
  
"Oh. . ."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Yaten sighed, sat beside the black haired young man and looked him straight in the eye. "You both love each other right?"  
  
"Yeah. . ." he replied, not sure where this was going but having an unpleasant idea.  
  
"So go to her."  
  
"And do what?"  
  
"It doesn't matter. You guys need to talk anyways so you might as well do it in private. She'd let you stay the night in her room."  
  
"You mean-?"  
  
"NO!" Yaten exclaimed. "Just. . .SLEEP in there."  
  
Seiya blushed and looked at his feet, embarrassed for thinking such a thing. Yaten slapped him on the back. "Go on go on!"  
  
*  
  
"Odango?" Seiya whispered, pulling aside the rather transparent tapestry and stepping inside her room.  
  
"Is that you Seiya?" Usagi's voice- slightly muffled- came from the darkness.  
  
"Yeah, I-"  
  
"Um, can you help me?"  
  
Seiya wouldn't have thought it possible to get tangled in a nightgown the way Usagi had. The left strap was on the other side of her head, while the right strap was on the left side. Her arms were pinned to her sides under the gown. Every time she tried to raise them she choked herself.  
  
He laughed softly. "You do the impossible Odango." Striding up to her, he took a strap in each hand, then gently raised the gown and straightened it out and then let it drop back down.  
  
Usagi turned around. "I thought I'd have to wake someone. Thank you!"  
  
"Don't mention it Usagi-chan."  
  
She blushed, walked away and sat sadly down on her bed. Seiya hesitated, but Usagi put her hand beside her and nodded.  
  
"What's wrong?" he whispered as he sank down beside her.  
  
Usagi (undoing an odango-just picture it, one up, one down) gazed downward. "I don't want to fight again. I thought it was the end with Galaxia. . ." She was quiet for a moment then asked, "Seiya-kun, why did you choose me?" just as Seiya asked , "Why do you like me?" They both laughed.  
  
"Ok, I'll go first," Seiya said. "I chose you because. . .-" He searched for the right words "- Well, as corny as it is, because your star is always shining. You just radiate happiness."  
  
"Still?"  
  
"Yes. And the other is that I think you're the most exciting girl in the universe."  
  
"You mean you don't care that I'm a princess?"  
  
Seiya gave her a puzzled look. "Why should I? I did love you in my past life, yes, but right now is what matters."  
  
She looked as though she were about to cry from happiness and threw herself at him. " I always thought Mamoru only loved me because I'm Serenity. . .I like you. . .because when I'm with you I feel. . .loved. Truly loved and secure. I never felt that way when I was with him. I always felt uneasy and scared. But I pushed the feelings away for the sake of Chibi-Usa. . .Then you came, and changed my perspective. When Mamoru came back I realized I could no longer push away the bad feelings."  
  
Seiya put two fingers beneath her chin and gently raised her face. "I will never leave your side, I swear it Usagi."  
  
More tears of happiness fell from her cerulean eyes. "I know Seiya, I know," she whispered.  
  
(A/N: I messed up on Quiore's age. In chapter 6 his age was said to be 1346. Add a thousand more years and you get two thousand. He's roughly around 2,300 years old. Sorry about that!) 


	9. Returning to the Present

Ryoko: Happy B-day Vela-chan!!!!! Your getting TWO presents tonight!!!!  
  
A/N: Ryoko: Sorry Vela-chan that I didn't have it up last night.  
  
Disclaimer: Neither Sailor Moon nor the chars used in this story belong to me.  
  
Fate Isn't Written in Stone  
  
Chapter 8:  
  
Returning to the Present  
  
(Next Morning (early))  
  
Hotaru set down her cup of steaming tea. "Shouldn't Usagi and the Starlights be woken up soon?"  
  
Setsuna nodded. "Soon. We'll wake them up if they don't wake up themselves."  
  
() "It's not like kitten will wake up of her own accord at this time," Haruka said.  
  
A bleary eyed Yaten stumbled out of his room rubbing an eye. He yawned then asked sleepily, "Where's Seiya?"  
  
Minako rushed to Yaten "He's still sleeping silly now come on, you can sit by me!"  
  
() "But-" Minako shoved him into a chair- "But Seiya isn't-" Minako shoved a biscuit into his mouth.  
  
"He's still sleeping! So eat your biscuit!"  
  
Yaten shrugged then thoughtfully chewed his biscuit.  
  
"I'm sick of Usagi always slowing us down! I'm waking her up!" Rei hissed. She stomped over to Usagi's tapestry/door and pulled it aside. "Oi!" Usagi- chan! It's time for you to." Rei gasped, her eyes got huge then she shrieked turning away and covering her eyes. "Sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean to intrude." She ran back to the table.  
  
"What is it?" Ami asked.  
  
Rei (hair sticking out because of stress) pointed to Usagi's room with a shaking finger. "Ask her for yourself when she comes out."  
  
Usagi say up slowly, a hand still holding Seiya's. "Rei-chan?" she murmured straightening her nightgown. Seiya sat up and blinked sleepily. He was shirtless now. "What was that about?"  
  
Usagi stepped out of the bed, Seiya following suit. "I don't know. You and I were just sleeping when she shrieked and all." Seiya clasped Usagi's hand in his as they walked to where the others sat. Taiki had recently joined them.  
  
Haruka saw Seiya bare-chested with Usagi, coming out of HER bedroom and jumped to her feet. "What the f-"  
  
"Haruka!" Michiru hissed. "Let them explain!"  
  
Haruka took a long breath then sank slowly back down into her chair. She glared at Seiya. "What were you doing in there?"  
  
"We didn't-" Usagi started but Haruka held up her hand. "I was asking Seiya."  
  
"We were only talking last night and.we fell asleep I guess."  
  
Haruka turned to Usagi. "You WERE fully clothed last night weren't you?"  
  
Usagi positively glowed scarlet. "I."  
  
Haruka's eyes got so funny looking (everyone else stared) and a large sweat drop appeared over her head. "Oh my God." Haruka murmured. "You.?"  
  
Usagi's jaw dropped. "Haruka-san! Oh my God, no!" We were just talking and we kissed.well actually we kissed nearly till dawn. But that's all."  
  
Haruka stared at Usagi open-mouthed.  
  
"So, uh, did Quiore ever come back? Seiya asked nervously, trying to change the subject.  
  
"No he did-" Michiru started when a voice (echoing slightly) said, "Yes. I'm here."  
  
The senshi heard the familiar sound of birds taking flight and felt a soft breeze on their skin.  
  
Quiore materialized slowly a few feet from the senshi. He gave Seiya a small double take then smiled. He looked a little tired.  
  
"Who was in the passageway Quiore?" Makoto asked.  
  
"You're guardians."  
  
"Luna?" Usagi asked.  
  
"Artemis?" Minako added.  
  
Quiore nodded  
  
"How did they get here?" Minako wondered aloud.  
  
"I can answer that." Setsuna replied. "I told them to contact us if they needed our help. I gave them a charon (sp?) so they would be directly teleported to The Passageway."  
  
Usagi turned to Quiore. "Why aren't they with you?"  
  
"Animals don't do well space traveling."  
  
"It took you all night to figure that out?" Hotaru asked attentively.  
  
(A/N from Ryoko: I don't think that's right Vela.)  
  
Quiore smiled at her. "No. I had to tell them everything I told you. It took longer than I expected since they had their share of questions."  
  
"Why did they come?" Rei asked.  
  
Quiore's smile faded. "They need you back on Earth," he answered solemnly. "You should come with me right now." He glanced at Haruka, who was moaning and whose eyes were @.@ from stress and shock, and snapped his fingers. A dry, brown flower appeared in between them. He took her teacup, crushed the flower into a coarse powder with a hand, took a spoon and stirred it around. Then he gave Michiru the cup.  
  
"She should drink this." He said. "It will calm, de-shock, de-stress, and de-confuse her. And God only knows it won't be good if she's confused shocked and stressed while fighting. It's a little sour though."  
  
Michiru nodded and shook Haruka's shoulder. "Drink this," she said softly.  
  
Haruka took the cup absently and drank it all at once. In an instant her eyes turned from @.@ to X.X and her mouth puckered. "It's SO SOUR!!: she cried bouncing up and down on her tiptoes.  
  
The others stared () at her, including Quiore.  
  
Finally, Haruka sat down and sighed. "That was horrible."  
  
"Well at least you aren't zombied anymore." Usagi said, imitating Haruka's @.@ face, then her X.X eyes and puckered mouth.  
  
Haruka pulled Usagi towards her and held her (much like she does Neptune in some of those "cousinly" pictures.)  
  
"You're lucky I like you kitten," she whispered so low no one else heard.  
  
"I know you like me," Usagi whispered back. "You're my friend so of course you do."  
  
"Not in that way."  
  
Usagi got a () on her head and tried to pull away but Haruka held onto her. "You're lucky I like you, no one else would be able to imitate me, without being in pain, as you did."  
  
Usagi laughed nervously ()^^ "Hehe.We.Can I go now?"  
  
Haruka kissed her cheek (but luckily no one noticed) and let the squirming Usagi go.  
  
She put a hand on her cheek where Haruka had kissed her. She remembered how Haruka said she was attracted to Usagi while they were battling the Death Busters, that had been on the day Mamoru had forgotten it was her birthday (how she had been offended, but now she didn't care). It had slipped her mind because she thought she was just teasing. Apparently, Haruka wasn't.  
  
Usagi linked her arm through Seiya's telling Haruka. 'I love somebody else.'  
  
Haruka smiled slyly at her. "You're a sly one kitten."  
  
Quiore spoke up. "Please transform so I can take you back. It's easier when you're transformed."  
  
The senshi nodded.  
  
"Moon Eternal!" "Mercury Crystal Power!" "Mars Crystal Power!" "Jupiter Crystal Power!" "Venus Crystal Power!" "Neptune Crystal Power!" "Uranus Crystal Power!" "Pluto Crystal Power!" "Saturn Crystal Power!" "Fighter Star Power!" "Maker Star Power!" "Healer Star Power!"  
  
"MAKE-UP!"  
  
"Take us to Luna and Artemis, Quiore!" ESM declared.  
  
Quiore nodded. There was the familiar flash of light, slight breeze, and sound of bird wings. Usagi reminded herself to keep her eyes shut tightly until she could see the next flash of light through her eyelids.  
  
'Wait' she thought. 'Where's Quiore?' She flexed her fingers on both hands. She didn't feel him. As a matter of fact, she didn't feel anything. She wanted to open her eyes but was afraid to, finally she did, and almost screamed. She was standing in a dark room carved of black stone and, and, HE was there.  
  
Mamoru -no- Princes Endymion was sitting on his throne, holding the hilt of his sword in one hand, clenching a black rose in the other so hard it bled. His eyes were even more sinister than before.  
  
He smiled. "Usako."  
  
ESM took a step backwards. Fear was mounting higher and higher inside herself.  
  
Endymion stood up and slowly walked up to her. "I've been waiting for you."  
  
ESM was trembling. Her gaze fell to the floor.  
  
Endymion touched her face, she jerked away and without thinking-slapped his hand and shouted, "Don't!"  
  
Endymion looked surprised but his surprise quickly turned to anger. "You should show respect to your master."  
  
"You aren't my master," ESM hissed. "You never have and you never will."  
  
"Who made you great?" he asked. "Who gave you hope to defeat Beryl? Whose future self told you to believe in our love during the fight against the Black Moon? Who gave you're life back after the gizinshou shattered on Fiore's meteor? I did! I own you Usagi! I own you!" He shook her violently. "I own you, so I can order you to do anything! I order you to love me!"  
  
"No!" ESM yelled, "I love Seiya! Not you! Seiya!"  
  
"Surrender everything Usagi," he said (surprisingly) calmly. "Surrender your heart, body, and soul to me!"  
  
"NO!" ESM screamed. She felt him let go of her shoulders and she opened her eyes slowly.  
  
Endymion had his sword point hovering an inch above her brooch. "My challenger will die, whether you love me or him. And if you can't see the error in your ways then you too, shall perish. You're fire-reading friend almost did for inquiring too much."  
  
"Chall.challenger?" ESM whispered as Endymion placed the point against her chest.  
  
Endymion smiled insanely (much like when he was brain washed by Beryl), but didn't answer. Instead, he pulled his sword back then thrust it forward.  
  
ESM didn't have time to even gasp.  
  
"USAGI!"  
  
ESM blinked. Her eyes were hazy, she blinked again and they cleared.  
  
Fighter was leaning over her, gently shaking her shoulder a concerned look on her face.  
  
ESM looked around. They were back in the Passageway and all the senshi were gathered around her and Fighter.  
  
"Odango Atama, are you alright?" Fighter asked.  
  
"What happened?" ESM murmured slowly sitting up.  
  
"You tell me," Fighter replied. "All I know that as soon as you got here you went into a trance of something. Mars was about to use her AKU RYUTAI SAN attack on you. So, what happened?"  
  
ESM thought back. "I saw Endymion.and he almost killed me.or at least he tried to with his sword. He said that he owned me because of all the help he gave me during battle. And he tried to make me love him. He said if I didn't he's kill his challenger-which I think is Fighter-and me too. He also said.He said something about Rei-chan! And the fire!"  
  
Everyone looked at Rei. "Rei-chan, did you see Mamoru in the fire?" Minako asked.  
  
Mars nodded. "He said the same things basically. That was going to kill Seiya, that Seiya had ruined his plans to be ruler along side Neo-Queen Serenity, et cetera."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us?" Minako asked.  
  
"I didn't want to believe it myself at first, I didn't tell because.I wanted to make sure it was Mamoru."  
  
ESM held a hand to her forehead. Her forehead throbbed madly. "Where's Luna.and Artemis?" she mumbled.  
  
The senshi shifted uncomfortably, glancing at each other nervously.  
  
"Usagi." Ami started. "Quiore has them.He took them down the hall so you wouldn't see them the moment you woke up."  
  
"What happened to them?" ESM gasped with horror and shock.  
  
"Apparently." Mako took over. "Mamoru got to them first.Even though they're animals he didn't show them any mercy. They only just got away-"  
  
ESM jumped to her feet and shoved her way out of the circle her friends made, sprinting down the hall. "Quiore! Quiore, where are you?!" She called. "Quiore!" she spotted him 12 sprinting steps away. "Quiore!" He looked up and she saw a black figure lying in his arms.  
  
"Luna!" she cried coming to a stop before Quiore. She knelt down beside her guardian and friend, giving her an once-over. "Oh Luna." Gently, she took the cat from Quiore and hugged her. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you."  
  
Luna looked at Usagi. She struggled to breath. "It's not.your fault.Perhaps.Good will.come out of this.somehow."  
  
Quiore stood up and spread his wings. "Their condition has worsened in the last 24 hours. If I had known the roses he had punctured them with were toxic." He looked down at Artemis, who was much better off than Luna, he had only several nasty cuts. He was staring at Luna, a concerned look on his face. "I'm going back.to retrieve some medicine and bandages for them."  
  
And in an instant, he was gone.  
  
"Why did he do this to you?" ESM whispered. She heard heavy footsteps behind her and knew that it was the senshi.  
  
Luna, still struggling to breathe, replied. "Endymion.looking for you.said.patience for your return.ran out..Tried forcing us.to bring you back."  
  
"How did you get here though?"  
  
Artemis took a step forward. "Pluto gave us a charm to say. It would enable us to go where you were.  
  
The senshi stepped at her side but ESM didn't acknowledge them.  
  
After a few seconds of uneasy silence Mercury spoke up. "Usagi.we just didn't want you to be worried.well, hurt."  
  
"You could have had the decency to tell me," ESM whispered, hurt that her friends didn't think she could handle this. A thought jolted her into her mind, then she put it into words. "I'll fight Endymion until one-or both- of us drop dead and rot on the ground.  
  
"Well at least she's enthusiastic," Uranus muttered. -_-()  
  
"But I think that was overdoing it," Neptune returned. -_-()  
  
"Tell me about it," Pluto added. -_-()  
  
"Is she always like that?" Saturn asked. ^^()  
  
"Unfortunately," Mars replied. -_-()  
  
"Hey!" ESM cried but was cut short when Quiore reappeared carrying an armload of supplies.  
  
"I brought back as much as I could." he said kneeling down, setting the supplies on the ground and taking Luna into his arms He picked up a small, stone jar taking a pinch of whatever was in it and spread it over her wounds. They lost their ugly greenish look but began to steam. Luna gritted her teeth but still cried out,  
  
"I'm sorry," Quiore said above her cry as she squirmed in his arms. "But it's taking out the poison."  
  
"It hurts so." Luna whimpered.  
  
"I know," he replied. "It will be easier if you were humans."  
  
Artemis looks up at ESM. "Couldn't you do that through Sailor Moon?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Couldn't you turn us both into humans? You did to Luna once before."  
  
"I guess I could try." She replied. She spread out her arms as her brooch opened up revealing the ginzuishou. Ginzuishou, she thought as it began to glow. You've helped me through the years, and soon you will again. But this time is different, it's not to defeat an enemy but to help our guardians. Please gizuishou, use your power to transform Luna and Artemis into humans so they can be healed quicker.  
  
"Gizuishou!" She cried. "Power up!"  
  
Luna and Artemis' bodies got all shiny (body lines for Luna but only waist- up lines for Artemis) as their limbs lengthened.  
  
Artemis blinked and examined a hand with an arm that had a deep cut on it, staining his white long sleeve. "So this is what it's like to be a human." (He looks like his Manga self)  
  
ESM smiled weakly. "Yes," she whispered then collapsed.  
  
Usagi opened her eyes slowly. The senshi were all sitting down against pillars. Those aren't pillars, she thought, we're back in that one room.Then she realized she was in a tube herself. Strange, she thought, I don't seem to need to breathe.Across her were Luna and Artemis, also in tubes, nude, expect Luna's long hair covered her while that ring of steel plates covered Artemis.  
  
Quiore's face appeared in front of hers. "Oh, you've recuperated." He stated putting a hand on the glass.  
  
Usagi nodded and placed her hand against it too. She blushed suddenly. Oh my God." she thought glancing down at herself, then returned to her normal shade when she realized her hair was down and covering herself.  
  
"You don't have to be embarrassed. We took your hair down to cover you."  
  
Usagi was a bit surprised. Can you.? She began.  
  
Quiore nodded. "There's something about this substance, it allows me to read your thoughts. So, ready to come out?"  
  
Usagi smiled and nodded.  
  
"This is as far as I can go with you," Quiore announced back in the Passageway.  
  
"Can't you accompany us back?" ESM asked.  
  
Quiore shook his head. "I am forbidden to leave my post. The consequences for abandoning my post.they're grave, let's put it that way."  
  
ESM nodded. "Well.I guess this is goodbye then," ESM said softly.  
  
Quiore nodded. "Yes. But before you leave, take this-" he pulled a long snow white feather from his left wing, snapped his fingers as his purple jewel glowed, and the feather turned in a crystal feather pendant on a long gold chain. "I have a feeling I won't see you for a long while-" he smiled sadly "-So remember me by that. It may come in useful at one time or another.when it becomes its true form again. You're shine activates it."  
  
ESM hugged him tightly. "Thank you Quiore."  
  
Quiore looked at Seiya/Fighter. "This once belonged to you. The queen put it in my possession for me to keep." It was a red ruby start pendant on a silver chain, he handed it to Fighter.  
  
"Thank you," Fighter returned.  
  
"We'd best get going. We don't want to disappoint Luna and Artemis when they finish recuperating." Pluto stated.  
  
ESM went to Fighter's side. "Buh bye Quiore!" She called as he began to float backwards away from them. She waves to him.  
  
Quiore waved back. "Good-bye Princess!" He called back.  
  
The next instant he was gone in a flash of white light and a soft breeze.  
  
Then the Passageway disappeared as they were transported home.  
  
It was evening and the sky was turning pink. The city looked fine but evil energy emanated from everywhere.  
  
"Endymion has defiantly awakened," Mars announced though she didn't need to say it. Everyone knew. 


	10. New Friends, New Allies

Ryoko: Here's part two Vela-chan!  
  
A/N: Ryoko: Again I apologize for not getting this up.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, nor the chars used.  
  
Fate Isn't Written in Stone  
  
Chapter 9:  
  
New Friends, New Allies  
  
"Endymion did awaken. That is true," a voice said.  
  
Everyone turned quickly around. A few (ESM, Mars, Neptune, and Maker) took quick gasps.  
  
Several senshi stood 20 ft. away (3 senshi). One was a star, one was a normal sailor, and the last looked like a cross from both. She was the one that had spoken.  
  
The star sailor was dressed like Fighter Maker and Healer. Her color was easily lavender. Her hair was a dark red-orange, with dark gray eyes. She too had the tapered tail, like Taiki's expect with bangs. She looked the same age as Fighter Healer and Maker.  
  
The normal senshi's fuku was mostly deep down with ocean blue trim. She had dark green hair in a braid, with a gold ribbon intertwined in it that fell to her waist. Her eyes were dark brown; she looked about the Inner senshi's age. She clutched a long staff made of rough wood with a large wood orb on top. Engraved in the ball on top was a circle with a dot in its center.  
  
The sailor who looked like a cross between a star and a normal looked Haruka/Uranus' and Neptune/Michiru's age. She had a skirt like the normal senshi but the top was like the Lights and thigh length boots and long Starlight like gloves. She had a back bow and tiara. Her hair was blonde and in odango's exactly like Usagi's. Her tiara jewel was star shaped only it was white. She held a long staff with wings on top of a blue pearl encircled orb that was ivory looking with a star on top.  
  
Fight Healer and Maker stared at the star senshi. Finally Maker spoke up. "Teller.is that you?" she whispered.  
  
The star sailor smiled kawaii-like. "Princess Kakyuu sent me. She heard your song of the upcoming battle."  
  
"Song?" Fighter asked.  
  
"We sang to the Princess the night you went with Usagi," Healer answered.  
  
Teller nodded. "I came to help. Light of the deep sky, Sailor Star Teller!" She cried posing.  
  
"Another one?" Uranus mumbled her eyes wide.  
  
Fighter was laughing and hugging Teller. "I've missed you. It's about time you get battle experience Verku-chan!"  
  
Teller chuckled. "I know!"  
  
"Hate to interrupt your reunion," ESM interrupted. "But who are you two?" She looked at the other two senshi.  
  
Pluto took a step forward, looking at the normal senshi. "You are." she trailed off, unbelieving. The sailor nodded smiling.  
  
Pluto was at a loss for words. "But.But that's not possible! No where in history are you mentioned!"  
  
"Yes. But nowhere in history did it say Mamoru was evil did it? So, with Mamoru out of the picture.I was awoken to help in his place." the girl returned.  
  
ESM gazed at this girl. Mamoru.Mamoru out of the picture.awoken.in his place.Thoughts screamed through her head. Mamoru was the guardian of the Earth.It she was awoken to take his place then.  
  
"Sailor Earth?" ESM asked incredulously.  
  
Earth smiled. "Guardian of nature and life on Earth, I am Super Sailor Earth!"  
  
Pluto keeled over, luckily Neptune caught her. "Pluto, Pluto! Can you hear me?" She asked, fanning her with her hand.  
  
Pluto's eyes were @.@ and twirling. "This isn't possible." she moaned. "Ehhhh."  
  
Earth smiled. "Yeah, I'd be surprised if I was her too. Logically, I'm not supposed to exist."  
  
"Who are you?" Saturn asked looking at the star/normal sailor.  
  
This sailor, who had been silent and solemn the entire time, smiled and raised her staff a little so the light bounced off the star. "Guardian of the Giver of Life for this solar system, Sailor of power-" she struck her pose- "Sailor Sun!"  
  
Saturn gave her a once over. "Why are you dressed funny if you're a normal senshi?" she asked.  
  
Sun cocked her head, smiling lightly. "The sun is a star truthfully, but also is in this solar system. So I ended up getting a mix of both."  
  
"Sailor Sun." Neptune murmured. "I think of you from somewhere before-"  
  
"So what?! ESM exclaimed. She pointed a finger at Sun, ballistic. "The Odango Atama is MY trademark! Why do you have them?!"  
  
Sun looked at ESM peculiarly as she spazed. "Don't you remember?"  
  
"Remember what?" ESM asked surprised at Sun's calm.  
  
"That I was your teacher on the moon? I dressed like you and wore my hair like you because I was your decoy as well as your teacher. Don't you remember?"  
  
ESM shook her head. "Tell me. I'm still gaining memories."  
  
"I grew up on the Sun Kingdom (flashback of a huge kingdom by the sun). My mother was Queen of the kingdom, Queen Tranquility. I had a brother a sister both older than I. My father had died before I was born (A picture of an older woman in a royal dress with wavy hair that came to her waist dirty blonde. A 16-year-old boy with pale brown hair cut short and a 15- year-old girl in a princess dress with pale yellow hair that came to her jaw. She held a little girl-about 2- that had short golden hair in two ponytails on either side of her head).  
  
Sun's voice was narrating. "Even so we were happy."  
  
The image of the happy family cracked then shattered. The boy and the young girl fell into blackness screaming as the mother and baby older with longer hair yelled for them.  
  
"But this happiness ended abruptly with the arrival of the Negaforce. My brother and sister died during the battle. They had no extraordinary powers. I, on the other hand, was a sailor. A rather small one, but still a senshi."  
  
An image of a tiny Sailor Sun appeared. Only with shorter hair, knee length boots and a.less revealing top (a tank top cut off just above her belly button).  
  
"I tried my best-" image of a beam coming out of her hand and hitting someone "-But I had the disadvantage. I, too, lost my life." (Image of little Sun in the air, limp)  
  
"My mother wouldn't surrender the kingdom so she used her own crystal to trap them. Hers was almost as strong as the ginzuishou, but not quite. The sun and the moon kingdoms were the most powerful then.  
  
"In the end, my mother lost her life." (Image of her lying beside a pool with one hand in the -once clear- water that was now red). "But she sent me to the moon, where I would be safest. Her crystal was sent into space but eventually the Negaforce broke free. But by this time, I was 17 while you, princess, were 14." (An image of Sun in a dress like Serenity's walking alongside her in the rose garden).  
  
"You live through it all over again." ESM stated quietly. "I feel sorry for you."  
  
"Why?" Sun asked. "What happened in the past is over with. The present is what I'm concerned about. That's why Earth and I were sent. We -well I- already knew about my identity and got word from my guardian that I might be needed."  
  
"You have a guardian?" Jupiter asked.  
  
She nodded. "Her name's Shiddo. She's err.rather unique." Sun struck the heel of her staff against the ground and a bell sounded.  
  
A cat jumped out of a tree nearby. ESM gasped thinking the cat would hurt itself, but at 5 ft. above the ground, it stopped.  
  
"She has wings!" Venus cried. The calico cat did indeed have wings. Not big ones, they were barely visible only the lines of them were visible. On her head was a yellow circle with a star sign on it. She didn't have to flap her wings to stay airborne; she just floated by Sailor Sun's shoulder.  
  
"My guardian and companion, Shiddo."  
  
"Pleased to meet you," Shiddo said bowing her head.  
  
"What a cute kitty!" Saturn exclaimed reaching her hand out and petting her.  
  
Shiddo purred but as soon as Saturn's hand left her head she sank to the ground, her wings folded into her body and disappeared.  
  
"What are you names?" Pluto asked.  
  
Neptune jerked around. "Pluto! You're awake!"  
  
() "After you stood up and let me hit the ground, it was kinda hard to ignore the throbbing in my head."  
  
()^^ "Sorry."  
  
Teller took a step forward. "My name is Kou Verku. You may call me Ver- chan."  
  
"Are you like them?" Uranus asked motioning to the other Lights.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Both a he and a she."  
  
"Oh." Verku blushed brightly. "Well.I am actually." ^^  
  
Jupiter took a step forward. "My name's Kino Makoto. You may call me Mako- chan." She was blushing slightly.  
  
Teller smiled. "I will."  
  
Jupiter stepped back blushing as Sailor Earth bowed. "My name is Kondo (accent mark over the first o) No Chikyuu. If you wish you may call me Hikyuu-chan. All my other friends do."  
  
Sailor Sun straightened, looking powerful and tall (she's about the same height as Taiki) "My name is Techuro Taiyoo (accent mark over the a). Call me Taiyoo-san or Tai-chan, whichever you prefer."  
  
Sun glanced at Earth. "We're done here Hikyuu-chan." Earth nodded and looked at the other senshi.  
  
"We'll see you sooner than you think. She turned to leave but hesitated. "The battle will begin in two days time, not counting today. I suggest you enjoy yourselves until then." Then she, Sun, and Shiddo leapt into the darkness.  
  
"That was.interesting," Mercury stated typing madly on her hand-held computer.  
  
"Whatcha doin'? ESM asked peering over her shoulder.  
  
"Typing in all the information they revealed."  
  
"Cool."  
  
Uranus turned to the Outers. "I don't think I tr-"  
  
"Oh for God's sake! NOT AGAIN HARUKA-BAKA!" ESM interrupted.  
  
"I was only saying-"  
  
"I know what you were going to say. You were going to say 'I don't trust them." They're both from our Solar System!"  
  
Usagi yawned as she walked to school with Ami, Mako, Minako, Seiya, Taiki, Yaten, and Verku. She had forgotten to tell her mom where she was the past two days, getting a major scolding and no TV. or sweets for two weeks. Her curfew had also been moved up to 4:30.  
  
Seiya held Usagi's hand, Taiki held Ami's, and Yaten held Minako's.  
  
Mako and Verku walked behind the others, chatting with each other.  
  
"I wonder when Luna and Artemis will be done recuperating." Usagi stated.  
  
"Quiore said it would take two or three days." Seiya replied.  
  
"The battle will have begun by then." Usagi murmured as they turned a corner.  
  
"Hi kitten."  
  
Michiru, Haruka, Setsuna, and Taiyoo stood a few feet away.  
  
"Taiyoo-san?" Usagi asked.  
  
Taiyoo smiled. "Good morning."  
  
Usagi turned to Haruka. "But I thought you didn't."  
  
"That was before Setsuna realized she's in our group," Haruka answered.  
  
"But-but she's not an outer!"  
  
"She's still in out group-" Haruka put an arm around Taiyoo who started to sweat. "We're finally complete!"  
  
"Right.well we gotta get going-Bye!" Usagi called as the inners and lights hurried past and into school.  
  
Usagi and her friend slipped into their seats just as the teacher walked in.  
  
"Good morning class. Today we have two new students," she announced.  
  
Usagi felt someone poke her then heard Seiya's voice. "Look who it is." She looked up and saw Verku-but she had known he was joining their class for the last two weeks before break. Standing beside him was none of than Chikyuu.  
  
"This is Chikyuu. Be courteous and make her and Verku feel welcome. Verku, you can sit behind Sakamata and Chikyuu.there's a seat across from Usagi."  
  
As Chikyuu say down at her desk, she turned to Usagi. "Good morning Usa- chan."  
  
"How'd you know?"  
  
"Your aura gave you away."  
  
"Girls! Don't make me send you two out into the hallway!"  
  
Usagi and Chikyuu nodded and spoke in unison. "Yes ma'am."  
  
Meanwhile a ball of paper bounced off Mako's head and onto her desk. Careful so as not to get caught by the teacher, Mako unfolded it and read it.  
  
"I just met you but I think you are the most beautiful girl in the world. Will you join me for lunch? I hope we will become more than friends. Verku  
  
Maki turned around. Verku was a seat behind her on the next row to her right. She smiled at him, he blushed and looked down.  
  
She turned forward again, wrote something on the paper then tossed it back at him.  
  
Verku opened up the paper.  
  
Sure I'll join you for lunch! You'll love my rice cakes! I think we'll be a lot more than friends. Mako  
  
Verku blushes and shoved the note into his desk.  
  
"Mm.these are really good Mako-chan," Verku announced as he shoveled rice cakes, sushi rolls, and spicy shrimp-on-a-stick into his mouth.  
  
Mako smiled. "I'm glad you like it," she replied taking a bite of a rice cake herself.  
  
The girls and Lights watched from a ways off.  
  
"Now we only need to rind Rei-chan a husband." Minako said.  
  
"What do you mean? She has Yunicherou," Ami replied.  
  
"Oh, yeah right. Like he'll provide for her. On the other hand, my Yaten can provide me with all sorts of things-" she snuggled up against Yaten, who looked a bit scared. "While Yunicherou cannot."  
  
"Minako-chan does have a point," Usagi stated.  
  
"You're not helping!" Yaten cried. Minako now had her arms wrapped possessively around him, she was drooling slightly.  
  
"I'm ALWAYS right," she purred.  
  
"No you're not." Yaten replied.  
  
Minako narrowed her eyes and tightened her arms around him.  
  
"Mina.I can't breathe." Yaten rasped as he fidgeted and his face turned blue.  
  
"You might want to let him live, Minako-chan," Taiki suggested.  
  
"Why?" Asked Mina as Yaten's face turned a deeper shade of blue. He tugged at her arms but to no avail.  
  
"You'll destroy your daughter."  
  
Mina jumped back, horrified. "Oh my gosh! I.Hey wait! I don't even know my daughter so that's alright!" She turned to strangle Yaten again but he was running away. "Yaten! Get back here!" She yelled running after him.  
  
"Leave me alone you crazy blonde!"  
  
"Come back here!"  
  
"NO!  
  
Verku took Mako's hand. "Want to have dinner together? My treat."  
  
Mako nodded. He leaned forward to kiss her but just than Minako and Yaten charged past, Yaten screaming girlishly a thick cloud of dust following them. As soon as the dust cleared Verku just stared at where they had run, sweating. Mako's hair was every which way. She coughed and a cloud of dust flew out of her mouth.  
  
The other 2 boys and girls sweat dropped.  
  
"Minako and Yaten will be fun parents," Usagi said.  
  
"If one of them matures," Taiki muttered.  
  
"Which one? Yaten?"  
  
The other three groaned and fell to the ground.  
  
"Usagi, as much as I love you, I have to say this: You are so blonde!" Seiya exclaimed.  
  
"Hey, can I join you?" a voice asked.  
  
Everyone looked up. Ur was Chikyuu.  
  
Usagi smiled. "Sure Hikyuu-chan."  
  
As Chikyuu sat down on the grass beside them Usagi asked, "Do you and Taiyoo-san live together?"  
  
"Why do you ask?"  
  
Usagi shrugged. "I dunno."  
  
Chikyuu gazed at the two birds flying overhead. "Yes. I live with her."  
  
"Are you related?"  
  
"No, not really."  
  
"Do you.uh.have a -um.relationship?" she asked attentively afraid of offending her.  
  
(A/N: Ryoko: Now I know that's not right.Umm..)  
  
"No." Chikyuu replied calmly.  
  
"Well.why do you then?"  
  
Chikyuu narrowed her eyes at Usagi. "Unlike Taiyuu-chan, my past has left me a deep wound that hasn't closed up yet," she replied sharply standing up. "I forgot, I have to go do something."  
  
As she started to turn away Usagi saw tears glistening in her eyes.  
  
"Something must have happened that was really awful." Ami spoke.  
  
"You did sorta ask to much," Seiya added.  
  
"Oh.I didn't mean to hurt her feelings." Usagi whispered. "I feel so bad."  
  
Seiya, trying to confront her, put her arm around her.  
  
Chikyuu stood behind a tree trunk, looking down. Her shoulders shook once then she straightened a determined look flashing across her face as she wiped her eyes. "I'll try not to cry Ming-Tah."  
  
She pulled an oval locket out from under her blouse and opened it. A younger Chikyuu-not much younger-smiled, her arm around a dark purple haired girl with brown eyes. Behind the two girls were two adults. A man and woman, but their faces hid by the sunlight glare.  
  
".Ming-Tah." 


	11. Chikyuu

Fate Isn't Written in Stone  
  
Chapter 10:Chikyuu  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
A bell tinkled as a door opened, then closed.  
Michiru, with an arm linked with Haruka's, sat down at a table with Táiyoo. A waitress bustled by, setting down glasses of water, and then hurried off.  
Táiyoo noticed Haruka holding Michiru's manicured hand. She blurted out the question unembarrassed and calm, "Are you two lovers?"  
Haruka choked and sputtered on her gulp of water. "Pardon?" she asked, glancing at Michiru, who looked rather surprised.  
"Are you two lovers?" Táiyoo repeated.  
"Er. . ." Haruka looked at Michiru again.  
"That question has never been so forwardly asked," Michiru replied. "Not that you're forward Táiyoo-san."  
Táiyoo smiled politely. "That's alright. And it's Táiyoo-chan," she corrected.  
"Táiyoo-chan, got it. Well. . .if you like to think of us that way, then do so."  
"So you are," Táiyoo murmured, sipping her water. She looked at them for a silent moment. "You have many questions. Like how Chikyuu knows the battle will begin tomorrow."  
Haruka raised her eyebrows. "How'd you know?"  
Táiyoo set her glass down. "Call it a sixth sense. I can feel emotions and questions in fellow senshi's minds."  
"Interesting," Michiru said.  
Táiyoo nodded. "Perhaps. . .Chikyuu has the gift too. Though hers is stronger than mine. Hers has gotten so that she can begin to see the future. Her training has paid off."  
"You live together?" Michiru asked.  
Táiyoo nodded. "Yes. Bu-"  
The waitress appeared again. After she has their orders and left, Táiyoo continued.  
"We live together, yes. But we aren't family. On the contrary, I am her guardian- he godparent."  
"Her family?" Haruka inquired.  
Táiyoo shook her head sadly. "Her parents were both only children. Chikyuu never knew her grandparents. Both pairs died before she was born."  
"What happened to her parents?"  
"A year ago, her parents, Chikyuu and her younger sister by a year, were in a car accident. Chikyuu was the only survivor. Her father died instantly, her mother died on the way to the hospital. . ."  
"Her sister?"  
Táiyoo sighed. "Chikyuu pulled her sister out of the car after it had been crumpled. She was still alive. . ."  
  
(flashback)  
"Ming-Tah? Ming-Tah can you hear me?"  
Ming-Tah drew a rattling breath, her hair sticky with blood and hanging in front of her closed eyes. Her pretty face was contorted with pain. "Kyuu-chan. . ."  
Chikyuu smiled, her eyes wet with tears. "Oh, Ming. . .You're alive."  
Ming-Tah's head lulled on her shoulders. "Where's Mum. . .and Dad?"  
Chikyuu shook her head. "They're gone Ming. . .But it's okay because we're still together."  
Ming-Tah stared blankly, then whispered, "Kyuu-chan. . .Mum and Dad. . .I can hear them."  
Chikyuu gasped. "No! Don't listen to them Ming-Tah!"  
Ming-Tah sighed contentedly. "I love you Kyuu-chan. They send their love. . .And they say not to be sad."  
"Who?"  
It was a moment before she replied, but when she did, it was so soft Chikyuu could hardly hear her. "The angels. . ."  
"Ming-Tah?MING-TAH!"  
(end flashback)  
  
"Ming-Tah died in her arms," Táiyoo concluded.  
"How awful."  
Táiyoo nodded. "I took her in; it was the least I could do. I taught her what I knew and protected her like her parents would have. She looks to me like an older sister. The pain for her parents has faded because she wasn't extremely close to them. It's the pain for Ming-Tah that refuses to heal. She was her best friend- her golden sun. . .That's why Chikyuu wears that ribbon in her hair, as a sign of respect to Ming-Tah. Gold was her favorite color."  
"Who caused the accident?" Michiru asked.  
"The other driver. He'd had too much to drink. . .He survived. . ."  
"The poor girl. . ."  
"Please don't speak of it to her. She's never told anyone. She'll talk when the time comes."  
Haruka and Michiru both nodded silently.  
  
* * *  
Usagi's eyes locked onto Chikyuu during Home Economics. She was busy stirring a cake batter, alone, at the table next to hers. Usagi shuffled to her side.  
"Hikyuu-chan?"  
"Yes?" she answered without looking up.  
"I'm sorry. . ."  
"For what?"  
"For making you cry."  
Chikyuu's eyes narrowed, still avoiding Usagi's gaze. "Go away," she hissed.  
"But-"  
She slammed the handle of her spoon down and ran out the door. * * *  
Chikyuu ran along the sidewalk, forcing her tears back. She stopped suddenly and whispered, "I can't cry. . .I can't. . ."  
"Hikyuu-chan?" a voice asked. She looked up, spying the wingless Shiddo on the wall beside her. "What's wrong?"  
"I. . .I miss my family."  
"Some wounds take years to heal. No necessarily physical ones, but mental wounds. But they're in heaven. . .They're with you," the cat replied.  
"I want to see them again." Chikyuu looked back up at Shiddo. "Take me to Rêveterre Shiddo."  
The cat was silent for a moment, and then she said, softly, "You usually go on the anniversary. If we go now you won't be able to go again for another year."  
"I know."  
"Let's go someplace more private." * * *  
Shiddo sat by a water fountain in a deserted square with her human friend. Chikyuu held up a dusty brown henshin wand with Earth's symbol on it. "Earth Crystal Power, Make-Up!" she cried.  
A brown ribbon encircled her body, Chikyuu's hair hanging loosely- fully out of its braid. She spun around once, arms folded to her chest. A ribbon of water with leaves surrounded her, then there was a flash of light, and her hair re-braided itself with the gold ribbon as she twirled with her staff and struck her pose.  
Shiddo's near invisible wings unfolded from her body. She held out a paw, which Sailor Earth took gently. "Are you sure you want to go?"  
She nodded silently and Shiddo closed her eyes, tilted her head so the sun hit her face and whispered, "A dream's sadness is great. Let her see what she desires most in the dreams. Rêveterre. . ."  
In a flash both cat and girl were gone. * * *  
Endymion stood over his window pool, looking concerned. He gazed down at the wavering images of Sailor Earth and Sun.  
They could turn out to be a slight threat, he thought. Their powers are extraordinary compared with the others'. He focused on Táiyoo's image. Especially her. . .If she had the gall, she could do some serious damage to me, at the cost of sacrificing herself though. Would she do that? To save the people she hardly knows?  
But Earth's weakness is her past. Sun. . .hers is unknown to me. . .Still if I can get her and Earth it will be the perfect bait. Usagi will want to save them since they are fellow senshi. . . * * *  
Chikyuu opened her eyes and looked up into a partly cloudy sky. She rolled over and looked into her father's face. His silver hair was blowing gently in the soft breeze.  
"Have a nice nap?" he asked, smiling in his gold rimmed glasses.  
She nodded. "Yes." Her last hour and a half have been spent in Rêveterre, where she had gone on out on a picnic. Though it seemed real and everything was physical, it was all just an illusion. . . A physical dream that never really took place. Soon her two hours would be up.  
"Do you want a rice cake?" a voice asked.  
Chikyuu rolled over to her other side. Her purple-haired mother sat on the grassy hill in her apron and lavender dress.  
"No thank you Mum." She sat up and looked around. "Where's Ming-Tah?"  
"Oh, she's off somewhere picking wildflowers."  
Chikyuu stood up and brushed herself off. She wanted to spend the last of her time with her sister. "I love you Mum, Dad."  
"Us you," they replied.  
Chikyuu ran off, searching for her sister. After about five minutes she saw her, knee deep in a field of flowers. Her violet hair was pulled back into a bun with several thick stands hanging out. An armload of flowers sat in her arms.  
"Ming-Tah!" Chikyuu cried breathlessly.  
Ming-Tah stood up. "I was wondering when you'd wake up!" she called as Chikyuu ran towards her.  
Chikyuu was just about to fling her arms around Ming-Tah when there was a crack like a whip and everything crumbled and fell apart. "What the-!" Chikyuu yelled as the real world faded in. She looked for Shiddo, and when she didn't see her, agony erupted within her. "Stupid cat! You said it would be the same as always! You lied! Why'd you do that?" she shouted.  
"Shiddo didn't pull you back. I did."  
Shy spun around and gasped, "Wh-who are you?"  
The man with bone chilling blue eyes smiled. "The Prince of Darkness presently. I was formerly known as heir to the earth throne, Prince Endymion."  
"Endymion?" she whispered, taking a step back. Where was Shiddo? Had Endymion gotten her? Thinking it wise to transform in these circumstances, she held up her rod. "Earth Crystal Power Ma-!"  
Endymion threw himself at Chikyuu, who didn't have time to move. His hands wrapped around her throat in one swift movement.  
"SHIDDO!" she shrieked just before they slammed into the fountain's wall. Endymion shoved Chikyuu's head under the water as she let out a cry of pain. She struggled but it didn't help. Just when she thought her lungs would burst his grip loosened and she sputtered for a breath. With one disgusted glance at Endymion she pulled her fist back and let it fly forward. "Get OFF me!" she yelled.  
Endymion turned his head back to face Chikyuu. His lip was bleeding. In another swift movement, he pushed Chikyuu back down under the water. Things began to get fuzzy, and she could hear her heart screaming in her ears.  
Ming-Tah. . . You won't be alone for long. . . Táiyoo, I tried my best. . .  
Then everything went black.  
  
With an orange sunset as a brilliant backdrop, Endymion held the limp Chikyuu in his arms. As he reached the square's edge he shifted her weight. Silently, her locket fell off her neck, the chain broken. Then Endymion and Chikyuu disappeared. * * *  
Usagi walked into her room, silently shutting the door and going to her dresser. She picked up Mamoru's "promise ring" and turned it in her fingers.  
"I don't know why I keep it," she said to herself. "He doesn't mean anything anymore. He can't be helped."  
She turned and strode out onto her balcony. "Let our past leave me forever. . ." she whispered, and threw the ring as hard as she could. She didn't see where it landed, but she heard a faint metallic tink as it hit the ground. Then Usagi heard another sound, a beeping.  
"Usagi-chan!" a voice called.  
Her communicator! She rushed to it and held it in front of her. "Hai, Michiru-san?"  
Michiru's face was solemn and Usagi felt her stomach drop. "What's wrong?"  
"It's Chikyuu-chan. She's missing. Táiyoo's getting frantic. She hasn't called or anything, which Táiyoo says is something she always does to let her know where she's at. Do you have any idea where she could be?"  
"No. She ran out of class and I haven't seen her since."  
Michiru turned her head and Usaig heard Táiyoo's voice, too muffled to understand. Michiru turned back and said, "She also says Shiddo is missing, but she doesn't think someone heard her or saw her because her powers would have enabled her to escape.  
"Has she checked all the places Chikyuu might be?"  
Michiru nodded, then stilled suddenly. "Chikyuu likes the square downtown. . ."  
"Then I'll meet you there." * * *  
The Outers met Usagi in the square about twenty minutes later.  
"Why didn't you want the others to come? It would be easier with them helping to look," Usagi stated.  
"They would only get in the way," Haruka returned. "We're enough."  
Táiyoo's hands were clenched at her chest; she did look frantic. Usagi placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll find her."  
Táiyoo was silent for a moment, and then smiled slightly. "I hope so. I promised I'd protect her."  
Usagi glanced curiously at Haruka, who shook her head and muttered, "We'll tell you later Kitten."  
Michiru took a few steps towards the fountain. She stretched her arm out horizontally, palm vertical, with her eyes closed. "Something was forced into the water. . ." she murmured.  
Usagi ran to the fountain, afraid of what she might find. However, she let out a sigh of relief when she saw there was only water there. But she felt an unusual indentation in the wall and looked down and gasped. Part of the wall was crushed in. Tiny streams of water were slowly trickling out of the cracks, but it was hardly noticeable. Still, the sheer force that had to have been used to make the concrete crumble like that. . . On the ground beside the smashed section were several drops of a dark colored liquid, which only took seconds to identify as blood.  
"Usagi-chan!"  
The girl bolted up and faced the others.  
"This was by the bush," Haruka called, tossing something at her. She caught it lightly and held it up so she could see it better. It was Chikyuu's henshein stick. Usagi glanced at Táiyoo, whose face had drained to a sickly white. Usagi could understand why. With Chikyuu's ability to transform in her hands, and Endymion around. . . Chikyuu wouldn't be careless enough to leave her wand behind would she?  
Setsuna took a step forward and felt something beneath her foot. She stooped, picked it up, opened the locket, and examined the pictured of Chikyuu and her family. "Táiyoo-san-"  
"-chan," she corrected.  
"-chan. Here."  
Táiyoo took the locket and her shoulders began to shake. "I swore I'd protect her. . .I failed. . .Endymion must have her," she wept.  
In an instant, a black hole opened behind Táiyoo, who didn't notice it. A pair or spidery, corpse like hands shot out of it and grabbed her, as a voice snarled, "You can protect her and your cat momentarily. Don't waste your breath crying!" Táiyoo screamed as she was pulled off her feet, the hole at least four feet in the air.  
"Táiyoo-chan!" Usagi cried, running to her and grabbing her arms. "Let her go!" she exclaimed tugging at her arms as the Outers latched onto the Usagi look-a-like and tried to keep her from being taken.  
The hands around Táiyoo's ankles were strong, and she slid in another few inches. Usagi pulled with all her might, but she didn't gain anything. "Hold on, hold on Táiyoo," Usagi whispered.  
"You'll be fine," Setsuna added.  
One hand let go of Táiyoo and shot a ball of light at Haruka; it hit her square in the stomach and she fell backwards.  
"Whoa!" Usagi cried as she was pulled into the hole with Táiyoo. "Haruka!"  
Haruka scrambled to her feet and reached out for Usagi, but wasn't fast enough. Both she and Táiyoo were gone.  
For a moment, she just stood there, too shocked to make a move. "No. No, no, no." She fell to her knees at the spot where her Princess had last been. "USAGI!" * * *  
Usagi sat up slowly, feeling quite dizzy. She was back in the room of black stone, the one she'd hallucinated about before. She glanced around and saw the throne. . . a weird looking pool, a few torches in brackets on the wall. . . Where was Táiyoo? And what had happened to Chikyuu and Shiddo? Usagi was sure he'd taken them both.  
She got her feet unsteadily. Instinctively her hand went to where her broach was on her chest, but it was missing! She twirled around, looking for it on the ground where she had been. Had it fallen off before she woke up? No, it wasn't there. Usagi was scared; She was alone and vulnerable without her broach.  
She heard the near silently footsteps and turned back around quickly. The only thing she saw before she lost consciousness again was the hilt of Endymion's sword speeding towards her, and her broach, glittering in his hand. 


	12. Guardian's Return

Fate Isn't Written In Stone

Chapter 11: Guardians Return

- - -

Tears fell from Haruka's eyes. She had let Endymion take Táiyoo and Usagi. How could she have let go so easily? It hadn't even been that painful...most of it was just surprise. She gasped. What would Seiya do when he found out? She wasn't scared of his wrath, but he might do something irrational and attempt to take on Endymion.

Michiru laid a hand on Haruka's shoulder, her eyes also brimming with tears. "Seiya won't be mad at you. He'll be more worried for her," she whispered, as though she had read her mind.

Setsuna got to her feet, and then helped Michiru up. Michiru held her hand out to Haruka, who hesitated, then took it.

----

Quiore stood silently in front of Luna in Artemis in their healing tubes. For the last 40 hours he hadn't let left their side. His mind wandered to Usagi; where was she now? What she happy with her prince of the stars?

Well of course she is, he thought. Wasn't it easy to see how much they loved each other? Oh, but how he missed his princess. He had a feeling it would be another eternity before he saw her again.

'HELP ME!' a voice screamed in his head.

Quiore spun around, startled. Her voice. She had called him; she needed him. Quiore shook his head. "Nonsense," he muttered. "You're imagining things. Besides, you can't leave your post..."

'Please, help me!'

Luna and Artemis' eyes flew open.

The white haired man turned his attention away from the voice he heard and whispered, "Amazing. They've recovered in record speed for the condition they were in. Now they can help the princess."

"What?" Seiya cried. Haruka kept her gaze focused on the floor.

"I shouldn't have let go. It's my fault..."

Taiki handed her a cup of tea and then sat down beside her. "It was an accident Haruka-san."

Haruka shook her head. "No. If I only had had the willpower, I could have held on."

Seiya looked at her in hopelessness.

"We'll get her back," Yaten added. "For sure. Tomorrow though, after we're rested, since it would be suicide to go now."

"No you're not," Seiya stated. "Endymion isn't after anyone but me. I'm his target and the bastard is using Usagi as bait. I'll go."

Haruka jumped to her feet. "No! I'm the one who let Endymion get her. The others and I'll help bring her back."

"But I got her into this mess," he argued. "If I hadn't ever come back this wouldn't have happened-"

"You came back because you love her! If anything happens to you I'll never forgive myself!" She clapped a hand over her mouth in shock. Those words had just blurted out, but...They were true. Her eyes slowly rose to Seiya's, who stared back at her in disbelief.

"Haruka-san. . ?"

She shook her head. "Look, we'll go together. All of us. Tomorrow, after we're refreshed." Then she turned and marched out of the apartment.

Yaten glanced at Seiya and said in a singsong voice, "Someone's getting from of you. A tomboy too-"

Taiki slapped Yaten upside the head. "Shut up."

The shorter boy rubbed the back of his head, muttering, "You should talk."

Seiya was silent as he walked into his bedroom. He'd wait until the others were asleep and then he would face Mamoru himself. He recalled Usagi telling him where he lived at one point during his last stay.

Haruka was thinking the same thing as she sped away on her motorcycle.

----

Usagi opened her eyes, blood pounding in her ears. She blinked, slowly raised her head and saw both Chikyuu and Táiyoo. Both were unconscious on the other side of the room, with their wrist cuffs attached to the stonewall behind them. Usagi realized she was also in cuffs.

A flash of deep red caught her eye. There was another girl chained to the wall beside Táiyoo. She much shorter than the sun soldier and was nearly hidden in her shadow; only her hair catching the torches' light. She had to be an adult, even with her height. Her hair was a curly mass that fell to her waist. Her bangs were tinged white, and it was crimson to her shoulders, but then it oddly morphed into black from there on. She wore a lime-green, empire waist dress with thin straps, black gauzy under layers and a white ribbon bow on the back. Something else was behind the girl and Usagi squinted to make it out.

It was a tail! A tail that was about two feet long, but a tail nonetheless. The appendage was white with blotches of dark orangey crimson and black. Her brain clicked it into place.

"Shiddo," Usagi whispered. She must have transformed into human form, or was forced to by Endymion.

The beating in her head was becoming unbearable. Her vision blurred and she blacked out again.

Seiya stood in front of Yaten's door soundlessly. "Goodbye my friend," he whispered to the sleeping teenager. He went to Taiki and Verku's room, said the same thing, and then strode out of the apartment. It was his fault and he knew it for a fact. When he got onto the street he broke into a run and didn't slow down until he reached the doors of Mamoru's apartment building, thoroughly out of breath.

"Odango...I'll get you back, I swear it," he murmured to himself.

"Great minds think alike, don't they?"

Seiya turned to the voice. "I knew you'd be here Haruka-san."

She smiled slightly. "I figured you'd come too."

"Should we go in together then?" he asked, jerking his thumb in the direction of the building.

Haruka walked to his side. "Of course. I'm transforming first though, you?"

Seiya shook his head. "I want to fight an even battle with him. Being in my female form gives me an advantage."

"Suit yourself," she returned with raised eyebrows. "Uranus Crystal Power, Make-Up!

She realized Seiya had been staring at her, and shot a mock glare at him as he blushed furiously. Haruka laughed after a moment; it was contagious and made Seiya chuckle softly.

"Laughter, the best medicine at stressful times."

The two turned sharply, but it was only Taiki, with a trace of a smile on his lips. Yaten stood beside him, arms crossed and pouting.

"What are you guys doing here?" Seiya demanded.

"'Many hands make light work'," Taiki quoted. "We're here to help."

"Yes! You could have told us, rather than leaving without a word!" Yaten cried.

"You two should go home," Seiya declared.

"No!"

Taiki shook his head. "No. I agree with Yaten; you should let us help you." The black haired man shook his head. "Please," he urged gently. "Let us come with you."

Seiya sighed. "Fine. Do as you wish." He spun to walk inside, then stopped and looked back at Taiki and Yaten suspiciously. "Where's Verku-chan?"

The duo shifted uncomfortably.

"You didn't."

Taiki muttered his quote again, in obvious embarrassment.

"But they'll be endangered!" Seiya cried. "Now I'll have to worry about the rest of them! They're in more danger because Mamoru will use them against us!"

"As if you aren't in any danger?" Yaten exclaimed. "People say I'm the most stubborn, but when it comes down to the line you're paces ahead! Please Seiya, listen to Taiki! We're going to need all the help we can get! Let all of us be with you!"

"I told you already: do as you wish."

"Fine. Then, Healer Star Power, Make-Up!"

"Maker Star Power, Make-Up!"

Seiya smiled. He did admire his friends' determination, he had to admit. "All right then, let's go!" he exclaimed turning and running into the building. Just as they were about to enter there was a flash of golden light that stopped them in their tracks.

Haruka gazed at the human Luna and Artemis. "Luna? Artemis? You're back already?"

Luna nodded. "We were healed sooner than Quiore expected."

"I see. . ."

"What are you doing here?" Artemis asked.

"Going to get Mamoru- he's taken Usagi!" Seiya cried. "As well as Táiyoo-Sailor Sun, Chikyuu-Sailor Earth- and Shiddo, Táiyoo's guardian!"

Luna looked fearful, "He took her...?" she whispered.

They nodded as Seiya explained.

"That can't be good. He'll do anything to get you to come to him then if took her as you said. He may even hurt her. . ."

"That's why we've got to get going!"

Both guardians nodded, turned and dashed into the building with the others following. They all crammed into the elevator since his apartment was on one of the upper floors of the complex. The group rushed out down the hallway the moment the doors opened. Uranus stopped abruptly in front a door. "This is it," she murmured, stretching a hand out to the knob. There was complete silence as she turned it. Uranus pushed against the door and let it swing silently open.

Seiya leaned forward cautiously. There was the entry hall, then blackness. He stepped inside, still silent. Healer, Maker, Uranus and the cat guardians still stood in the doorway.

A scream shattered the quiet, making Seiya topple backwards into Healer.

"NO! GET AWAY! GET AWAY!"

Seiya's eyes widened; he leapt to his feet and ran into the darkness with Usagi's same on his lips. As they ran past the edge of the shadows there was another flash of light.

"Where are we?" Healer asked as she and the others glanced around.

They were in a room of black stone, apparently underground or in a cave or something of the like; on the floor in the center of the room was an intricate golden design. Torches were evenly spaced around the room, which was probably sixty feet in diameter. On the other side of the room were Táiyoo, Chikyuu and Shiddo.

"Shiddo?" Maker gasped at the sight of her. She turned to Luna and Artemis. "Should we help them?"

"Of course," Luna replied. "Uranus, Healer, Seiya, you look for Usagi. We'll get these guys."

The other three walked across the room, where three separate tunnels veered off in different directions.

"Should we split up?" Healer asked.

Uranus snorted. "Hell no. That's just what Mamoru will want us to do."

Healer looked back at the different roads. "Well then, which one?"

"The right one," Seiya answered, starting towards it at a fast walk.

"Might as well run," Uranus called, still rooted to her spot.

He stopped and turned back to her, smiling. "Well come on then. Show us your stuff."

"If you insist," she replied cheerily, and then bolted forward with lightening speed with Seiya close behind her. The tunnel twisted and curved, weaving it's way through the bowels of the solid stone. Their footsteps clattered noisily on the black tile floors. A light suddenly appeared far away; it was the end of the passage.

When Uranus ran to the outside she stopped suddenly. Seiya tried to stop but slammed into her; Healer crashed into both of them.

"Owie," Healer whimpered as she helped Seiya up. Uranus sat on the floor, silent, but with her mouth open in a gasp.

The man followed her gaze and his eyes widened too. There was only a few more yards of the floor until it dropped off. The gap was only about twenty feet, but who knew how deep it was. The trio slowly moved to the edge. Looking down, Seiya's heart skipped a beat.

"USAGI!" he screamed, staring down to the blonde haired figure. Her body was suspended about thirty feet down by ropes, each probably as thick as a forearm, that were somehow attacked to the walls of the ravine. She was about fifteen feet above the water that filled the chasm, and was almost unnoticeable in the outcroppings and jagged stonewall.

Usagi's eyes fluttered open. She's thought she's heard...But that couldn't be. Still, she raised her head weakly. "Seiya?" she murmured, then let her head drop. She was hallucinating. He couldn't have found her, it was impossible! She felt tears staining her skin as she lifted her gaze again to look into his dark blue eyes. "Seiya. . . ," she breathed. "Seiya!"

He smiled down at her. "Are you alright Usagi?" he called.

"Yes. I'm fine."

"Are you sure, Kitten?" Uranus asked.

Usagi smiled. "Yes, Haruka. Could you please pull me up?"

"Can't you transform?" Healer asked.

"I can't. Endymion has my broach. . . He has the ginzuishou."

The trio looked at each other, exchanging glances. "Damn him," Uranus muttered. Seiya nodded as he began stroking the star pendant, the one which Quiore had given him, when he gave a short gasp.

_It may come in useful at one time or another. . .When it becomes its true form. . ._

"Usagi, the pendant that Quiore gave you" he called down. "Its true form is probably a set of wings!"

"But I don't know how to activate it."

"Your star seed!"

"I don't know how!"

"Focus on sending the light to the pendant!"

". . .Okay. I'll try. . ." She closed her eyes in concentration; her star seed flower opened up as it materialized in front of her. The star seed glowed and the pendant hung suspended in the air, shimmering. One last tear fell from Usagi's eyelashes and onto her star seed just as the cave was filled with an intense, bright light.

----

"What is that?" Maker cried, back in the other cavern where Luna tried to revive the newly freed Shiddo, as the light exploded into their cave also.

"I don't know!" Luna answered, shielding her eyes. "It may be the ginzuishou or Endymion!"

"Let's hope it's not the later," Artemis called.

As the light flickered out Shiddo stirred and slowly opened her eyes while she took in her surroundings. Then she saw Luna kneeling over her. "Luna. . .?Guardian Luna?"

Luna smiled as the other guardian sat up. "The one and only. How are you Shiddo? It's been a long time."

"Too long in fact. . .," Shiddo replied. It looked like she couldn't contain her happiness any longer so the calico girl flung her arms around Luna, saying, "Oh, Luna, I've missed you so much! You don't know how hard it is living without family!"

"Family?" Maker murmured to herself as Shiddo drew away from Luna.

". . .Now when this is all over we can be together again!" Shiddo was saying. "We can be sisters again!"

"Sisters?!" Maker cried (Oo;), not the only one who was shocked. Artemis was as well.

---

Quoire had been walking down to Passageway, letting his fingertips graze the carved doorways when he felt it and stopped dead in his tracks. Suddenly he fell to his knees, his face contorting in pain.

"I knew she would use it. . ."he rasped through clenched teeth. "But I didn't expect it to happen this soon."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw something fall to the ground beside him, blending almost perfectly with the white tile. He reached out to pick it up but for some reason threw himself on the ground, screaming and writhing in pain as his purple jewel glowed. Several agony filled minutes passed by until the man on the floor grew silent; the only sound in the hallway now came from his heaving chest. Then, slowly, he sat up, and reached for what had fallen on the floor.

He looked at the feather in his hand sadly, thinking of the painful year ahead of him- the time it took for his wings to regrow. He glanced over his shoulder to see the space where they should have been. Now his figure looked odd without them.

"This battle between good and evil has officially began," he whispered. "My lovely Princess against him. . ." A smile krept to his lips. "I gladly give her my wings."

- - -


End file.
